Could a tsunami ever hit Texas? What to know after Alaska earthquake sparks warning

A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake off Alaska’s coast Wednesday triggered a tsunami warning across a 700-mile stretch and prompted evacuations in towns like Kodiak and King Cove.

Now, as a tropical system brews in the Gulf, the event brings renewed questions about the region’s vulnerability to seismic sea waves: Could a tsunami ever hit Texas?

While the Gulf is far less prone to tsunamis than the Pacific, experts say it’s not entirely out of the question.

Could a tsunami hit Texas?

Although large tsunamis in the Gulf of Mexico are rare, geological evidence suggests they are possible — most likely caused by a submarine landslide triggered by an earthquake, researchers wrote in an article published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans.

While the Gulf of Mexico is at lower risk for tsunamis compared to other U.S. coasts, researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program have documented three small tsunami events in the region during the 20th century.

A wave was detected in Galveston in October 1918 following a seismic event near Puerto Rico, though records of the exact date are unclear. In 1922, a 2.1-foot wave was recorded in Galveston, likely caused by a local event. In 1964, a 0.6-foot wave reached Freeport after the massive earthquake in the Gulf of Alaska.

"In general, possible tsunami sources impacting the (Gulf of Mexico) are local submarine landslides and possibly earthquakes originating from the Caribbean plate faults," researchers wrote. "However, preliminary modeling of potential tsunami sources outside the Gulf of Mexico ... indicated that they are a very low threat and may not significantly impact (Gulf of Mexico) coastal communities or infrastructure."