Question

What geologic feature places major cities such as Vancouver, British Columbia, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Sacramento, California at risk of a major tsunami?

Answer 1

Major cities like Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, and Sacramento are at risk of a significant tsunami due to their proximity to the geologically dynamic area known as the Ring of Fire and specifically, the San Andreas Fault which can cause powerful earthquakes and subsequent tsunamis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The geologic feature that places major cities such as Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, and Sacramento at risk of a significant tsunami is the

Ring of Fire

and specifically, the

San Andreas Fault

. The San Andreas Fault is a notorious boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates where major slippages can cause extremely destructive earthquakes capable of generating tsunamis. This seismically active region, marked by the Ring of Fire, has frequent earthquake and volcanic activity due to the continuous shifts of tectonic plates, which have set the stage for countless tsunamis in history. Cities in close proximity to this geologically dynamic area, such as the ones mentioned, face an elevated risk of experiencing destructive natural events like tsunamis.

Learn more about Ring of Fire