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Environmental Science Division, IEBS, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
Landslides and rock falls generating tsunamis constitute a serious element of risk at steep-sided volcanoes located in close proximity to water, especially when the volcano’s structure is cut by faults or altered by fumaroles and where there has been a history of subsidence or signs of incipient caldera formation. Approximately 5% of known tsunami events have been generated by volcanoes, producing some of the most destructive tsunamis on record. A preliminary study suggests that Kick ’em Jenny is a prime candidate for tsunamigenic events on a potentially hazardous scale, possibly affecting the whole of the eastern Caribbean region. An estimate of the potential height of tsunami waves generated following slope failure on the flanks of Kick ’em Jenny has been found using the basic solitary wave theory combined with equations of energy conservation. Generally, landslide-generated tsunamis possess little energy and, unless they are confined in a bay or channel, are only hazardous close to the source. However, the results show that with the low-lying Grenadine Islands situated a few kilometres to the east, even a relatively small landslide event at Kick ’em Jenny has the potential to produce waves that would prove hazardous to both coastal populations and ships.
