Tidal wave threat 'over-hyped'
October 29, 2004
The risk of a landslide in the Canary Islands causing a tidal wave (tsunami) able to devastate America's east coast is vastly overstated.
However, the researchers behind the original claim are sticking to their guns, pointing to evidence of catastrophic past events in the region.
Back in 1999, scientists at University College London published a paper about a volcano on the island of La Palma. They predicted that, if it erupted, the volcano could cause a catastrophic landslide in which a chunk of land the size of the Isle of Man would fall into the ocean.
They then proposed that a landslide this big would generate a mighty tsunami big enough to cross the Atlantic, devastating the Caribbean and the eastern seaboard of the US.
With talk of a possible wall of water 50m high, their predictions were jumped on by the world's media.
Further information is available on the BBC News site.
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