Can an eruption trigger a tsunami?
Since the current depth to the Kick-’em-Jenny vent (268 m) is considerably lower than the depth at which very explosive eruptions can be expected at this volcano (130 m), we think it is unlikely that an eruption will trigger a tsunami. While it is probable that very large explosions or landslides at Kick-’em-Jenny could generate tsunamis, the threat from tsunamis has been largely over exaggerated. Not all eruptions at Kick-’em-Jenny will generate tsunamis and not all tsunamis will be large. Kick-’em-Jenny has erupted at least 12 times since 1939 and scientists have not been able to confirm that a tsunami was triggered during any of those historic eruptions. Eruption-generated tsunamis may, of course, become a more significant hazard if Kick-‘em-Jenny does begin to grow closer to the surface. Of much more immediate concern at present is the danger posed to shipping due to direct hazards associated with the volcano.