Risk Prediction of Tsunami Hitting Kaohsiung

Abstract

Gravel sediments are often used to infer paleotsunamis. From survey and analysis results over the years, no enormous or giant gravels or marine bioclastic sediments transported by ocean currents were discovered on the 15-km-long coast dune along the original Hongmaogang (literally means the “Red Hair Harbor”) village and Cijin in Kaohsiung, or in areas about 1 km offshore of Dalingpu Agricultural Area. This evidence should sufficiently clarify experts, scholars or citizens’ doubts on paleotsunamis in southwestern Kaohsiung. Nevertheless, the ridge axis of Fengshan anticline is disturbed by mud diapir beneath it, indicating a rather active uplifting activity of the mud diapir. It is therefore a must to prevent the formation of hervidero and impact of submarine landslide to the sea level.It is rare to see deadly hervidero eruption in a marine environment as their volcanic eruption can hardly affect the land surface. Nevertheless, as the earthquake (or teletsunami), submarine landslide or climate change derived sea level rise when the weather condition is poor can cause extreme wave or tsunami inundation, it is important to pay attention to hervidero eruption as it can seriously impact Cijin, a coastal densely populated area in Kaohsiung.