Overview

• A Virginia Tech study estimates a 15% probability of a magnitude 8.0+ earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone within the next 50 years.
• Such an earthquake could generate megatsunami waves up to 1,000 feet tall, threatening cities like Seattle and Portland and inundating coastal areas.
• Coastal subsidence of up to 6.5 feet is expected, expanding flood zones and increasing vulnerability to tsunami impacts.
• Alaska faces additional risks from glacial melting, which destabilizes slopes and raises the likelihood of landslide-triggered tsunamis.
• Hawaii's volcanic terrain poses a separate threat, with potential volcanic flank collapses capable of unleashing devastating waves.