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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 28, NO. 17, PAGES 3397–3400, 2001

Cumbre Vieja Volcano — Potential Collapse and Tsunami at La Palma, Canary Islands

Steven N. Ward

Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz California, USA


Simon Day

Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre, Department of Geological Sciences, University College, London, UK


Abstract

Geological evidence suggests that during a future eruption, Cumbre Vieja Volcano on the Island of La Palma may experience a catastrophic failure of its west flank, dropping 150 to 500 km³ of rock into the sea. Using a geologically reasonable estimate of landslide motion, we model tsunami waves produced by such a collapse. Waves generated by the run-out of a 500 km³ (150 km³) slide block at 100 m/s could transit the entire Atlantic Basin and arrive on the coasts of the Americas with 10-25 m (3-8 m) height.

Received 2 March 2001; accepted 27 June 2001.


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Citation: Ward, S. N., and S. Day (2001), Cumbre Vieja Volcano — Potential Collapse and Tsunami at La Palma, Canary Islands, Geophys. Res. Lett., 28(17), 3397–3400.