Scientists warn that a mega-tsunami could strike parts of the U.S., threatening communities from Northern California up through Washington State, with Alaska and Hawaii also at significant risk. This alarming danger centers around the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault line running from Northern Vancouver Island to California’s Cape Mendocino.
A recent study from Virginia Tech notes that an earthquake here could cause land to drop by over six feet, drastically expanding floodplains along the coast. With a 15% chance of an 8.0 or greater magnitude quake in the next 50 years, the risk isn’t hypothetical.
Such a quake could trigger massive ocean waves far beyond typical tsunamis—monster waves that would devastate entire coastal areas. Rising sea levels add to the threat, making evacuation and recovery even more challenging.
