Following a minor earthquake in Donegal last week, experts are saying that Ireland is also now susceptible to tsunamis.
According to Journal.ie, the Irish National Seismic Network (INSN) has said that earthquakes "happen continually" in Ireland and that tsunamis are "quite possible."
On November 1, 1755, the Great Lisbon Earthquake was felt in Cork. Two-and-a-half-hours later a tsunami engulfed the coast of Cork.
There are now two areas in Ireland where major faulting occurs - Donegal and Wexford, claims Tom Blake, the director of the organization.
Last week's earthquake in Donegal measured 2.2 on the Richter Scale, which Blake advised was "normal" in terms of seismicity in the area.
More powerful earthquakes have been experienced in the Irish Sea with “bangs” measuring about magnitude 5 being relatively common. On 19 July 1984, an earthquake hitting 5.4 on the Richter Scale hit the Irish Sea causing some structural damage on the east coast.
Blake said this can be expected to happen every 25 to 30 years, but added that no seismologist in the world can accurately predict quakes.
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Folklore from before the 1800s shows that earthquakes in Ireland are not a new phenomenon.
“The writings of various peoples from the past show there are indications of people writing down effects of earthquakes. In the Mallow area, there are depictions of the earth shaking and crockery rattling during events of the 1800s. This folklore give us an insight into the past activity onshore and offshore Ireland,” explains Blake.
Earthquakes in Ireland occur not with plate movement but with a buildup of stress and tension on the rocks. The pressure becomes too much and is released, manifesting as an earthquake.
The nearest plate boundary to Ireland is the Mid-Altantic Ridge about 2,500km off the west coast. It is unlikely that an earthquake there would cause a huge problem for Ireland – unless, of course, a massive tidal wave occurs.
The Lisbon earthquake could well be repeated, “Nobody was killed, thank goodness,” exclaims Blake, “But it does raise an interesting topic about monitoring seismicity around the Atlantic and Bay of Biscay.”
Blake claimes that if the event is strong enough and shallow enough, another tsunami is “quite possible."
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.IrelandNorth | Feb 01, 2012, 05:47 AM EST
Mid-Atlantic Ridge! Ireland's San Aindreas Fault? Saint Malachi, (an early Irish Christian saint), predicted that most of the island of Ireland would be submerged below the sea towards the end of time. With severe flooding in the west of Ireland (Connacht) over the last few winters, his premonitions may parallel the Mayan 20/12/2012 apocalypse?
jacersagain | Jan 31, 2012, 06:11 PM EST
(...more) Neither should you dismiss the dream an Irish lady had a few years ago about a tsunami that she said originates from France hitting Ireland. Minutes after she woke up from her nightmare, she heard her 3yr old girl crying in her own bedroom. She went in to calm her but the little girl kept slapping her mother saying “Why didn’t you come to take me out of the water? It was everywhere!” Weird, eh...? Mother and daughter in different bedrooms having the same nightmare at the same time. That's really creepy!
jacersagain | Jan 31, 2012, 06:10 PM EST
(...more) It is expected to roll northwards over the Atlantic and hit Ireland’s southern shores with some force, even extend up the Irish Sea and affect Dublin. Worst of all, the tsunami’s waves will be most forceful travelling across the Atlantic to crash into the eastern seaboard of the Americas – all the way from Brazil to Florida to New York and beyond. The death toll and destruction from this same tsunami that hits Ireland is expected to be enormous on the US eastern seaboard. At least that is what the experts said on TV's Discovery Channel. You don’t dismiss scientific experts too easily, do you? Google ‘Cumbra Vieja tsunami’ for more info. (more...)
jacersagain | Jan 31, 2012, 06:08 PM EST
I would not dismiss a tsunami hitting Ireland sometime soon. Irish people who have visited La Palma (Canary Islands) off the coast of Africa would know that has active volcanoes and that its West side is mostly of steeply sloping green meadowland. Soft agricultural soil sitting on the rocky slopes beneath slips each year with each rumble and is very unstable. It is predicted to collapse en-masse suddenly sometime soon, with the whole mountainside sliding down and crashing into the sea like a giant slab of muck and broken rock, creating a monstrous tsunami. So what will happen then? (More...)
MarybethC.P. | Jan 31, 2012, 12:15 PM EST
God help us all! Dang - I make all my real estate decisions based on avoiding U.S. Superfund sites, as well as that "Ring of Fire" around the globe! I thought Ireland was far enough away from Iceland, even, to have those concerns of volcanic, earthquake, and tsunami issues! Well, if we have to go, the best place in the world would be via Connemara!
sirpeter | Jan 31, 2012, 07:45 AM EST
Angrypaddy.Take a deep breath~~Breath in~~Breath out~~Breath in~~Breath out~~Breath in~~Breath out.
sirpeter | Jan 30, 2012, 04:45 PM EST
Either way, many prayers and blessings I will send to Ireland. Never know in cases like this. Hope all is well!
Yardleypa | Jan 30, 2012, 03:33 PM EST
Probably would not do as much damage as anglo irish
Paradigm | Jan 30, 2012, 02:15 PM EST
Earthquake? Tsunami? The story doing the rounds is that was simply "passing wind".
Irishphotograph | Jan 30, 2012, 11:16 AM EST
People of Donegal!!!! You will rebuild! Don't despair!!..there are teams of people rushing to Donegal as I write. With spirit levels to fix those crooked paintings on the walls. Hang on!!
cillowen | Jan 30, 2012, 10:22 AM EST
folks who call the shots for ould erin are scarier than anything tsunamis may visit.
antoman | Jan 30, 2012, 09:48 AM EST
I would'nt worry. I'm sure we'll all grow old and die roaring in our beds.