EXPERTS predict that Spain is ever more likely to be hit by a tsunami, and partly attribute this to the effects of climate change.
According to a study titled ‘Probabilistic Tsunami in the Mediterranean Sea’, the Alboran Sea is one of the areas off the Spanish coast that experiences the highest levels of seismic activity, and could cause massive waves that would hit the coasts of Valencia, Malaga or the Balearic Islands.
The reason for this risk is the Averroes fault, located near the Island of Alboran, roughly halfway between the Malaga coast and North Africa.
A major undersea earthquake at this fault could cause waves of up to six metres in height and would reach the Spanish coast in a time frame of 21 to 35 minutes, according to a report in Spanish newspaper La Razon.
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The odds of a tsunami hitting Spain in the next 30 years are reportedly 100%. Credit: Pixabay
Meanwhile, a tsunami originating in Cape St. Vincent, off the coast of Portugal, would take some 40 minutes to reach the coast of Cadiz.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of Unesco (ICO) has warned that there is a high probability that a tsunami measuring over one metre will hit the Mediterranean.
In fact, the odds are 100% that one will arrive in the next 30 years, according to the ICO.
For the Cadiz coast, the probability is considerably lower: 10% in the next 50 years.
There are, thankfully, contingencies in place to deal with such a potential natural disaster.
The State Plan for Civil Protection against the Risk of Tsunamis in Spain, which has been put in place due to the threat of a massive wave hitting the country’s coasts, has an early-warning system that identifies underwater earthquakes as well as a response coordinated by the authorities to keep the public safe.
The plan also evaluates the risks for different areas of the coast, with the lowest danger in Cantabria, and the highest in the Canary Islands and the western coast of Andalusia.
A total of seven tsunamis have hit Spain since the year 365 AD, killing 2,215 in the country, according to the World Data website.
The worst of these was in 1755, when an earthquake measuring 8.5 on the Richter scale hit Portugal, killing 2,214 Spaniards after a wave hit the Cadiz and Huelva coasts.
Experts Warn of Increased Tsunami Risk for Spain, Partly Due to Climate Change A recent study, "Probabilistic Tsunami in the Mediterranean Sea," indicates that Spain, particularly areas near the Alboran Sea, faces a heightened risk of a tsunami. The seismic activity near the Averroes fault, situated between the Malaga coast and North Africa, could trigger undersea earthquakes leading to waves up to six meters high. These waves could reach the Spanish coast, including Valencia, Malaga, and the Balearic Islands, within 21 to 35 minutes. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (ICO) has declared a 100% probability of a tsunami over one meter high hitting the Mediterranean within the next 30 years. Meanwhile, a tsunami from Cape St. Vincent off Portugal could impact Cadiz within 40 minutes, although this has a lower probability of 10% over the next 50 years. Spain has implemented the State Plan for Civil Protection against the Risk of Tsunamis, featuring early-warning systems and coordinated response plans to mitigate potential disasters. Historical data reveals that Spain has experienced seven tsunamis since 365 AD, with the most devastating in 1755, killing over 2,200 people. The highest risk areas currently include the Canary Islands and western Andalusia, while Cantabria faces the lowest risk.
