Global Scans · Super Tsunami · Weekly Summary

A global catastrophic risk is a hypothetical future event that has the potential to damage human well-being on a global scale. Some events could cripple or destroy modern civilization. Any event that could cause human extinction is known as an existential risk.

• [New] A 7.7 magnitude earthquake Monday off northern Japan sparked a short-lived tsunami alert and an advisory of a slightly higher risk of a possible megaquake for its coastal areas. WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta
• President Trump's proposed budget cuts threaten the Integrated Ocean Observing System, jeopardizing real-time maritime data crucial for navigation, tsunami warnings, and hurricane predictions. The Economic Times
• A major eruption of Mount Fuji could release up to 490 million cubic meters of ash - about 10 times more debris than the 2011 earthquake and tsunami produced. The Independent
• The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii or the wider Pacific, and said no action is required for residents outside of Japan's affected prefectures. TravelPirates
• A wider tsunami advisory is in place for nearby coastal regions, including Miyagi and Fukushima, with expected waves of up to around 3 feet. TravelPirates
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off Japan's southeastern Nemuro Peninsula, with no tsunami warning issued. India Today
• An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 off northern Japan on Monday prompted a short-lived tsunami alert and the advisory of a higher risk of a possible mega-quake for coastal areas there. Los Angeles Times
• While gossip about Japan facing an earthquake and tsunami persists, one should keep in mind that earthquakes are inherently unpredictable. Travel And Tour World
• The resulting tsunami from a potential Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake could reach heights ranging from 100 to 1,000 feet, posing a significant threat to coastal communities along the West Coast, Japan, and Hawaii. Yahoo News
• The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of the risk of waves less than 0.3 m (1 ft) over tide levels for the coasts of Guam, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Taiwan. CNBC
• Japan may see waves of up to 0.2 m, but no damage is expected, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, as it warned a tsunami could occur in the Pacific. CNBC
• Scientists warn of a potential 1,000-foot-tall mega tsunami that could wipe out parts of America if a strong earthquake hits the Cascadia subduction zone within the next 50 years. Yahoo News
• Foundation models thus represent both an opportunity and a test: whether tsunami science can achieve globally scalable learning while maintaining physical credibility and engineering reliability. Nature
• A University of Texas-led team recently demonstrated the life-saving potential of digital twins by developing a tsunami forecasting system that could redefine coastal safety. UT Austin News - The University of Texas at Austin
• Ultimately, seamless integration of forecasting tools with warning systems can improve both the scientific robustness and operational accuracy of tsunami warnings and provide strong support for global disaster risk reduction and resilience building. Nature
• Marked differences across countries and regions in infrastructure, resource investment, and operational capacity have produced substantial global disparities in tsunami risk-reduction capability, with far-reaching implications for the coverage and operational usability of tsunami warnings. Nature

Last updated: 22 June 2026