Switzerland: Ancient tsunami devastated Lake Geneva shoreline

Researchers reported the first geological evidence from the lake supporting historical accounts of a deadly tsunami that poured over the lake to Geneva in ad 563, destroying surrounding villages, people and livestock. According to Nature, their findings suggest that the region would be wise to evaluate the risk today, with more than one million inhabitants living on the lake's shores, including 200,000 people in Geneva alone.

“It’s certainly happened before and I think we can expect that it will probably happen again sometime,” says geologist Guy Simpson, from the University of Geneva, one of the researchers behind the project. Tsunami experts say that a more detailed risk assessment would help to make the threat clearer.