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You seem to know a lot about the subject. I saw the TV program on NATGEO or The Science Channel a couple of years ago, but when it happens (the La Palma mountain tsunami) would the resulting 160’ high wave completely wash over the Florida Peninsula on into the Gulf of Mexico?

...but when it happens (the La Palma mountain tsunami) would the resulting 160’ high wave completely wash over the Florida Peninsula on into the Gulf of Mexico?

Until the landslide actually happens all one can do is speculate about how big the landslide will be. Until you know how big the landslide is you can't be sure how big the tidal wave would be.

But hey, we have to sell papers or get hits on our web page to make money, so let's go with the most extreme possibilities. Who knows, maybe it will actually be as bad as we speculate.

Also the tsunami expert we use needs grant money, so it's in his interest to inflate the possibilities of catastrophe as much as possible.

“You seem to know a lot about the subject. I saw the TV program on NATGEO or The Science Channel a couple of years ago, but when it happens (the La Palma mountain tsunami) would the resulting 160’ high wave completely wash over the Florida Peninsula on into the Gulf of Mexico?”

I’m no expert, but I seriously doubt even a 160’ wave would significantly impact the GoM after traversing Florida, in fact I don’t think it would make it clear across at all. The long wavelength of this type of wave would allow it to potentially go far inland though. There might be some direct impact to Mexico and maybe south Texas as the wave passes south of Cuba...it also depends on how deep the bottom is there.

I understand there’s of controversy about how large this wave would be at the US East Coast even in the worst case scenario. It is worth noting that landslides have caused some amazing waves in other places like Alaska.

I’d just as soon not find out how big it’ll be in my lifetime...here’s hoping! :-)