Canary Island volcanic eruption could send tsunami towards Britain

Expert warns that a tsunami could be triggered by a volcanic eruption. [Photo, Courtesy]

A volcanic eruption on Tenerife could send a deadly mega-tsunami towards British shores.

Dire warnings have been issued by a leading expert who says a cataclysmic event could occur on the popular holiday isle.

Stephen Sparks, a volcanologist who works at the University of Bristol, said the Cumbre Vieja volcano in the Canary Islands could soon erupt.

And, alarmingly, if it does, a killer wave could strike Britain, according to the Birmingham Mail.

Florida and the Caribbean would suffer the greatest impact, according to professor Sparkes.

But Britain will not emerge unscathed.

He told the Daily Express: “When you have volcanic islands sticking out of the sea, they’re very unstable. And, in some cases, you can get gigantic landslides when part of the island essentially collapses into the sea.

“And you can get tsunamis from that and they’re quite significant.

"In neighbouring islands they could be enormous.

“It’s quite difficult to know how dramatic these tsunamis would be around the Atlantic Ocean - on the east coast of the USA or Europe.

"I mean they could be quite significant."

The eruption could trigger a huge wall of water which will pummel Britain after breaking away from La Palma.

Waves could top 160ft.

Britain's southern coastal cities and towns are most at risk.

And there are fears communities could be "wiped out".