Tsunamis are among the most destructive natural phenomena, triggered by earthquakes, underwater landslides, or volcanic eruptions. They spread rapidly over long distances and release energy near the coast as sudden submersion and extremely powerful currents. Flooding can range from several centimetres to several metres, often involving multiple waves where the first waves are not necessarily the largest. The current speed can create pressures on coastal infrastructure reaching several tons per square metre. Since 1970, tsunamis have caused more than 250,000 deaths worldwide. Mediterranean tsunami risk has been underestimated, despite historical evidence and recent modelling showing destructive waves have already hit the French coast and could do so again. Anticipation and preventive evacuation measures are presented as the only truly effective means of saving lives.
"Tsunamis are among the most destructive natural phenomena. Triggered by earthquakes, underwater landslides or volcanic eruptions, they spread rapidly over long distances before releasing their energy near the coast in the form of sudden submersion and extremely powerful currents."
"From several centimetres to several metres, this flooding is generally characterised by several waves, and the first waves are not necessarily the largest. The speed of the current is such that the pressure exerted on coastal infrastructure can reach several tons per square metre"
"In the collective imagination, tsunamis have long been associated with the Pacific and the Indian ocean. The risk of an offshore tsunami in the Mediterranean has often been considered marginal, and this in itself could be misleading."
"After the Pacific, the Mediterran"
"After the Pacific, the Mediterran"
Read at The Local France
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