Human-enhanced tsunami hazard in large lakes.

Human-driven erosion has tripled sediment flux in Lake Iseo, preconditioning its delta for collapse and generating tsunamis with maximum run-ups of ~50 m and ~13 m during historic earthquakes.

• Why it matters: Understanding how human activities influence lake delta stability is crucial for assessing future tsunami hazards, especially as erosion rates reach their highest levels since the Industrial Era globally.
• What they did: The study combined geological records, archaeological evidence, and numerical simulations to link historic earthquakes to delta collapses and tsunami generation, highlighting human-induced erosion's role.
• The result: Findings suggest that ongoing human-driven erosion increases the likelihood of catastrophic delta failures and tsunamis in lakes worldwide, emphasizing the need for improved hazard assessment.