A recent monstrous wave that lifted 70-ton boulders as if they were pebbles hit the island of Malta, and a study revealed that it could possibly do so again with devastating consequences, reported The Independent.
Scientists have discovered the first evidence of a destructive tsunami in part of the Mediterranean, which was most likely caused by an earthquake with an epicenter focused near Sicily or Greece.
Large boulders at more than two dozen locations in the north-east of Malta had been moved in land by up to 100 meters from the bottom of the sea as a result of a massive ocean wave.
It is the first time that Malta had been linked with a Mediterranean tsunami and researchers have warned island authorities about the possibility of a similar event occurring in the not-so-distant future.
"These tsunamis have happened in the past and the tectonic zones that caused the earthquakes are still there now. It could happen again, but the difference this time is that the island is now more densely populated," Malcolm Bray of the University of Portsmouth told The Independent.
Tsunami is the Japanese word for "harbor wave" and is caused by the rising or lowering of the seabed due to an earthquake. They can spread out for thousands of miles from the epicenter, leading to severe damage when they hit landfall.
The study discovered that boulders containing the petrified remains of marine creatures had washed up and pointed in a position indicating that the tsunami must have came from the north-east, which suggested the earthquake centered near Sicily or Greece.
Bray said researchers have already presented the new evidence to the Maltese civil defense and planning authorities and have suggested a review of safety protocols and public-information campaigns.
"The most important thing we can do is to educate people about the risk and give the Maltese government the evidence needed to prepare and protect residents and holidaymakers," Bray told The Independent.
