Among the Alpine peaks there is a cozy Lake Geneva. The landscapes around the lake and the lake itself breathe complete peace and harmony. There are many resorts, nature reserves and botanical gardens around Lake Geneva. Since antiquity and the Middle Ages, Lake Geneva has been a meeting place for merchants, and later future financiers, becoming a place of concentration of capital. And later Geneva turned into one of the oldest financial centers in the world. It seems that nothing can disturb the calm comfort of this place on the border of France and Switzerland. But this is only an appearance, in reality. In fact, this corner of stability can be threatened by such an exotic natural phenomenon for the central regions of Europe as a tsunami.
Scientists have determined that over the past 10-12 thousand years, after the melting of the ice shell that pinned Europe during the last ice age, several large landslides have occurred in the area, which could trigger a tsunami. One such devastating tsunami was in Lake Geneva. This is confirmed by both geological research and historical data. According to scientists, about one and a half thousand years ago in the Geneva region, as a result of a landslide, waves more than 13 meters high hit the coast! The event of 563 AD, which could only be a tsunami, is mentioned by Bishop Gregory of Tours. The bishop writes that "the wave was so huge that it broke through the walls of Geneva." Such an event that took place in the past can be repeated in our time.
Typically, a tsunami occurs after an underwater earthquake due to the displacement of the ocean floor. At the epicenter, a wave of small height is formed, it is simply difficult to notice it. But the wavelength reaches hundreds of kilometers. When a wave traveling at the speed of a modern passenger plane reaches shallow water, the wavelength decreases and the height increases. Moreover, the wave height only in rare cases can exceed 30 meters.
A completely different picture occurs in the case of a landslide. If the landslide is large, it can be formed by megatsunami. If a landslide occurred in shallow water, then the water will simply splash out onto the neighboring shores, while the wave height can reach hundreds of meters. On July 9, 1958, a large landslide occurred in Lituya Bay in Alaska following a strong earthquake. The height of the waves on the opposite shore of the bay exceeded half a kilometer. Fortunately, this rare occurrence took place in an uninhabited area. A different picture will be in the case of a large landslide in a deep-water place - the maximum wave height will be in the place of the landslide. A similar tsunami was also observed in Russia at Lake Baikal. According to this scenario, tsunamis occurred on the lake in Geneva.
So, this phenomenon can be repeated. You need to be ready for it in those places where, according to geological features, this is possible, otherwise it can lead to catastrophic consequences.