Ancient Caribbean Tsunami Likely Altered Ecosystems (2024)

Ancient Caribbean Tsunami Likely Altered Ecosystems (1)

An ancient tsunami caused dramatic long-term ecological changes in the Caribbean more than 3,000 years ago, new research suggests.

Scientists investigated sediments from a coastal lagoon on the Caribbean island of Bonaire about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of the Venezuelan coast. The Caribbean is highly vulnerable to coastal hazards such as hurricanes, tsunamis, mudslides and floods.

Bonaire has not experienced a tsunami during the past 500 years of its recorded history. However, analysis of the size of sediment grains found on the island, the organic matter present in the sediment (such as animal remains and carbonate minerals), as well as other factors suggest that a devastating wave struck the island about 3,000 to 3,300 years ago.

"We assume that the height of the ancient tsunami along the coast was at least 8 to 9 meters [26 to 30 feet] as inferred from the size of transported boulders," said researcher Max Engel, a coastal geomorphologist at the University of Cologne in Germany. [7 Ways the Earth Changes in the Blink of an Eye]

Altered ecosystem

The researchers estimate the tsunami reached at least 820 feet (250 m) onshore. "Lagoons and valleys of the island might be inundated up to a kilometer [0.6 miles] or more, and the flat and low-lying southern tip of the island might have been entirely inundated," Engel told OurAmazingPlanet.

This catastrophe apparently altered the coastal ecosystem and sedimentation patterns in the area. In the wave's aftermath, a barrier of coral rubble separated a former mangrove-fringed bay from the open sea, transforming it into a highly salty lagoon that has persisted up to now.

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"Large tsunamis may occur on the ABC islands — Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao — even though tsunamis have never been observed in historical times," Engel said.

Uncertain source

It remains uncertain where this tsunami might have come from. "The most likely source would be a local to regional tsunami triggered by an earthquake along the southern boundary of the Caribbean tectonic plate — that is, the coast of Venezuela," Engel said. For instance, historical records suggest a devastating tsunami in 1530 was triggered by an earthquake near Cumaná, Venezuela.

In addition, a strong earthquake at the northeastern boundary of the Caribbean cannot be excluded as the tsunami's cause either. For instance, the 1867 temblor in the Anegada Passage in the U.S. Virgin Islands triggered a tsunami that traveled across the Caribbean. "Further possible trigger mechanisms include submarine volcanic activity in the southern Antilles island arc, though these tsunamis tend to be local," Engel said.

The wave may even have been a "teletsunami," an oceanwide tsunami originating on the other side of the Atlantic.

"For instance, computer models indicate that the collapse of a flank of the Cumbre Vieja volcano in the Canary Islands into the sea may induce a tsunami that still reaches a height of several meters after crossing the Atlantic Ocean and approaching the Caribbean islands and the southern coasts of North America," Engel said.

The investigators said further studies should look for evidence of tsunamis across the entire Caribbean to reconstruct reliable patterns of tsunami magnitude, frequency and location, as well as their environmental impact. In addition, researchers should develop computer models simulating earthquake-triggered tsunamis capable of creating the pattern of coastal flooding on Bonaire that matches the geological evidence to identify a possible trigger mechanism posing a threat in the future.

"We provided evidence for a potential hazard for which there is no real awareness on Bonaire," Engel said. "I hope this work contributes to an increase in public awareness on a local and regional level."

Engel and his colleagues detailed their findings in the January issue of the journal Naturwissenschaften.

This story wa provided by OurAmazingPlanet, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow OurAmazingPlanet for the latest in Earth science and exploration news on Twitter @OAPlanet. We're also on Facebook & Google+.

Ancient Caribbean Tsunami Likely Altered Ecosystems (2)

Charles Q. Choi

Live Science Contributor

Charles Q. Choi is a contributing writer for Live Science and Space.com. He covers all things human origins and astronomy as well as physics, animals and general science topics. Charles has a Master of Arts degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida. Charles has visited every continent on Earth, drinking rancid yak butter tea in Lhasa, snorkeling with sea lions in the Galapagos and even climbing an iceberg in Antarctica.

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Ancient Caribbean Tsunami Likely Altered Ecosystems (2024)

FAQs

Ancient Caribbean Tsunami Likely Altered Ecosystems? ›

Altered ecosystem

Was there ever a tsunami in the Caribbean? ›

In the past 500 years there have been ten confirmed earthquake-generated tsunamis in the Caribbean Basin with four causing fatalities. An estimated 350 people in the Caribbean were killed by these events.

What was the tsunami in Barbados in 1939? ›

The cause of this is reportedly associated with sea level disturbances observed at the harbours of Grenada, Barbados and Saint Lucia. On July 24th 1939, the eruption of Kick 'em Jenny submarine volcano generated a 2m tsunami noticed in northern Grenada, the southern Grenadines and Barbados.

Which country is most prone to tsunamis? ›

The Pacific Ring of Fire is particularly prone to tsunamis due to the large number of subduction zones present in the region. Some of the countries that are most at risk from tsunamis include Japan, Indonesia, and Chile.

Is there a tsunami warning in the Caribbean? ›

There is No Tsunami Warning, Advisory, Watch, or Threat in effect. 13 Mi. 334 Mi.

Could a tsunami sink a cruise ship? ›

Earthquakes are known to trigger tsunamis, posing another potential hazard to passengers at sea. However, whether a cruise ship is in any danger largely depends on its location. Experts agree that a cruise ship sailing out over a body of water is not likely to feel any impacts from a tsunami's waves.

What natural disaster is known for hitting the Caribbean islands? ›

The primary natural hazards facing the islands of the Caribbean are earthquakes and hurricanes. Some of the islands are also subjected to instances of volcanic activity.

What famous person died in the 2004 tsunami? ›

Reggie White, 43, American football player (Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers) and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, cardiac arrhythmia. Notable people killed in the 2004 Asian tsunami: Jane Attenborough, 49, British arts administrator, daughter of actor Richard Attenborough.

What's the worst tsunami ever? ›

A massive tsunami with waves up to 30 m (100 ft) high, known in some countries as the Boxing Day Tsunami after the Boxing Day holiday, devastated communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries in one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded ...

Why was there no warning for the 2004 tsunami? ›

When the Indian Ocean tsunami struck on Dec. 26, 2004, no one saw the massive waves coming. Authorities in Indonesia, where a 9.1 magnitude quake sparked the tsunami, weren't able to send out an alert because the country's sensor system had been hit by lightning.

What is the safest place on earth from natural disasters? ›

Quoted from The World Risk Report page, Qatar is the safest country in the world in terms of the dangers of natural disasters because its geographical position is protected from tropical cyclones.

Has the US ever had a tsunami? ›

Large tsunamis have occurred in the United States and will undoubtedly occur again. Significant earthquakes around the Pacific rim have generated tsunamis that struck Hawaii, Alaska, and the U.S. west coast.

Is Puerto Rico in danger of a tsunami? ›

Puerto Rico (PR) is located in the Caribbean in an extremely seismically active area. The Island is surrounded by active fault systems. These faults are capable of triggering strong earthquakes, which in turn may generate tsunamis, some deadly.

Did the Caribbean ever had a tsunami? ›

From 1498 to now, 85 to 106 tsunamis were reported the Caribbean. The most devastating was the 1946 tsunami in the Dominican Republic which resulted in the loss of 1800 lives. The 2010 Haiti earthquake resulted in a tsunami which caused at least three fatalities.

What Caribbean country is most at risk because of sea level rise? ›

The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago are expected to be the most affected because at least 80% of the total land is below the sea level.

Has Jamaica ever had a tsunami? ›

Has Jamaica ever been affected by tsunamis? On June 7th 1692, the town of Port Royal was destroyed by an earthquake and was again affected in January 1907. Large waves flooded the north coast at St. Ann's bay shortly after the 1692 earthquake and again in 1907, the same area was affected.

Has a tsunami ever hit the Dominican Republic? ›

Tsunamis – A Tsunami is a series of huge waves (up to 100 feet high) that occur after an undersea earthquake or volcanic eruption. Although tsunamis are rare, the Dominican Republic experienced two major tsunamis in 1946 and 1953, caused by strong earthquakes north of the Dominican Republic.

Has there ever been a major tsunami in the Atlantic Ocean? ›

The most recent large Atlantic Ocean Basin tsunami occurred on November 18, 1929, on the southern edge of the Grand Banks, 280 km south of Newfoundland (Fine et al., 2005). The tsunami was caused by a submarine slide, which was triggered by an unusually large (for this region) magnitude 7.2 earthquake.

Has there ever been a tsunami in the US Virgin Islands? ›

Tsunami waves, generated at the Virgin Islands on 18 November 1867, were significant in Puerto Rico (up to 2 m runup), the Virgin Islands (up to 9m runup on St. Croix), the Lesser Antilles (Antigua, Netherland Antilles, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, Grenadines, Grenada), and Venezuela (Isla de Margarita).

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