Science Alert February 28, 2022
Tsunamigenic submarine landslides are common in deep, steep-sided, and seismically active basins of the Red Sea. Because the rift is narrow, tsunami formed on one margin dissipate little before impacting the opposite side. An international team of researchers (USA – University of Miami, UC Santa Cruz, industry, Columbia University, Italy, Saudi Arabia) examined the tsunamigenic potential of an incipient landslide in the Tiran Straits that started, but then stopped after a short distance. Their analyses fix the age of this landslide to within the last 500 years. Tsunami modeling predicts ∼10 m wave heights on the Egyptian coastline. The slope will eventually slide to completion with even more hazardous results. Sharm El Sheikh , and a vast Saudi infrastructure project lie in its path, as does “The Line,” a vast Saudi infrastructure project… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
A map of where the ancient landslide occurred. Credit: The University of Miami/OceanXplorer.