Tsunamis in Europe.

[Mindful]

Europe to strengthen tsunami alert system.

The 1755 Lisbon earthquake and tsunami claimed tens of thousands of lives. Tsunami risk has a low profile in Europe, but the North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts have been hit by deadly waves throughout history.


Europe to strengthen tsunami alert system - UNISDR

 

[Mindful]

** Tsunamis might seem an unlikely prospect to most residents of the North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts. But the region has been hit throughout history.

The most notorious was caused by the Lisbon earthquake of 1755. It slammed into the shake-damaged Portuguese capital, other cities along the country’s coast and parts of Spain and Morocco.

Tens of thousands of people died, in what is believed to be the second-deadliest tsunami in history. It had a powerful influence on the 18th Century Enlightenment, being deployed by French philosopher Voltaire in his work “Candide”, and is thought to have crafted new landscapes as far away as Ireland.

Portugal is preparing to take on a regional role along with the countries already chosen.

In more recent history, Italy’s 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami cost tens of thousands of lives. Another wave, caused by the collapsing flank of the Stromboli island volcano in 2002, could have been a major disaster had it occurred during the summer tourist season rather than December.**

 

[Old Rocks]

The tsunami caused by the eruption of Santorini spelled the end of the Minoan civilization. The tsunami caused by the Storega was very impressive;