Assessing Tsunami Hazard for Hong Kong: INQUA 2007

A ssessing Tsunami Hazards for Hong Kong Chiu Hon-Chim Adam Switzer Department of Earth Sciences The University of Hong Kong Abstract No. 0312, On Volume Page 69

South China Sea is a high-risk region ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

S C hina Sea H ong Kong * H ong Kong Pop. 7,000,000 South China Coast P op. > 50,000,000 Internet Imagery

H istorical (Enigmatic) Tsunami Records

[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],The 1781 Event

T he 178 1 Event ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],http://nping.tncg.gov.tw

However .. ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],However .. (2)

What’s going on? Tsunami 1792 (Source unknown) Earthquake Generated Tsunami 1782 Earthquake Generated Tsunami 1781 http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/a/c/ach13/Asia/China/ChinaImages.htm

Summary ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Geological Features in South China Sea

Subduction Zone Strike-slip Faults Inactive Horst and Graben Continental Shelf Red River Fault H ong Kong * Chiu, After various sources

Tsunamigenic hot spot #1 The Manila Trench Subduction Zone Strike-slip Faults Horst and Graben Continental Shelf Red River Fault H ong Kong *

[object Object],[object Object],USGS Records 2 - 3 E arthquakes of M>7 every 10 years due to this movement Each offshore earthquake will be potentially tsunami generating

Tsunamigenic hot spot #2 Vietnam coast Subduction Zone Strike-slip Faults Horst and Graben Continental Shelf Red River Fault H ong Kong *

A steep bathymetry in offshore Vietnam Red River Fault H ong Kong *

Prominent feature in SRTMs USGS Records Morton 2001

Potential sediment slides ,[object Object]

Tsunami Generation Mechanisms Switzer 2006

Total Tsunami Risk ,[object Object]

South China Sea ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

South China Sea ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

South China Sea ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Bolide impact…How likely is it? R eturn Period 10 7 10 2 10 2 10 4 S ize of Bolide, diameter in m E g. Possible Mega-tsunami, SE Australia, ~0.5ka E g. Global tsunami, Chicxulub, Bay of Mexico, 65Ma (R ickman, 2005) Millions of Years Centuries

The Earth ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/fliers/95mgg01.html

Earthquakes near HK ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],H owever, the only documented tsunami in Hong Kong (0.28m) was generated regionally by a M5.4 earthquake in 1988 ,[object Object],[object Object]

Tidal Record: 24 June 1988 Time of Earthquake Hong Kong Observatory

However … ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Conclusions ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Assessing Tsunami Hazard for Hong Kong: INQUA 2007

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