A study group with Spanish participation confirmed that the Mediterranean coast of our country was also affected catastrophic tsunamiwhich could be repeated today. Research published in the journal Journal of Iberian Geology.
From some of the deposits found in Cabo Cope, Murciaresearchers recorded an event dated approximately between 800 to 1400 years oldwhich caused large accumulations of boulders in this area of the Murcian coast.
“We applied the methodology we developed to see if (these rock masses) could be the result of major storms or tsunamis, as there could be tectonic activity in the Murcia region due to earthquakes,” he explains. Javier Lario, professor of external geodynamics in the UNED Faculty of Sciences and first author of the study. “And we saw that they could be the result of a tsunami.”
Though the waves huge storm they might be bigger than a tsunami, they wouldn’t have the ability to drag these blocks four meters above sea level, which reach 17.7 tons. The authors of the work mainly try to distinguish between these two types of phenomena.
Tsunami waves can carry about 18 tons of water above sea level.
“It’s interesting to distinguish this because with climate change we are seeing an increase in the number of severe storms and even hurricanes,” says Lario.
In the presentation of the work, which is also signed Chris Spencer (University of the West of England, UK) and Teresa Bartagi (University of Alcalá de Henares), cities such as Huelva and Cadiz are mentioned as they started to create evacuation plans.
The first author points to the need to implement such plans in coastal areas. Southern Mediterranean to educate the public and raise awareness.
“We are talking about 70% of the population living on the coasts. If this affects summer, then the floating population of coastal areas is much higher than in winter. Obviously, the tsunami now will have very big consequences, ”comments Lario.
Where sand or coastline is lost and water can penetrate further inland, the effects of a tsunami can be more severe.
Javier Lario, first author of the study
Erosion from human activities could make tsunamis along the Mediterranean coast much more severe.
Similarly, coastal erosion and degradation due to human activity can greatly affect the severity of a possible tsunami. “The processes of sea level rise or beach erosion and the natural protection that the coasts have make them more vulnerable in the event of a tsunami. If we have lost sand or coastal zone and water can penetrate further inland when the tsunami comes, the effect will be worse,” the geologist warns.
Thanks to these entries, you can set recurrence periods that allow you to notification authorities possible events such as the historic Lisbon tsunami that devastated the Andalusian coast in 1755 and killed more than 1,000 people.
The Ministry of the Interior, together with the National Geographic Institute and the General Directorate of Civil Protection, have developed state tsunami plan, in which they define the risks of tsunami flooding that may occur on the national territory.
Source: Hiper Textual
