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Mexico earthquake creates 'desert tsunami' in Death Valley National Park
About 22 minutes after the quake, the tremors caused 4-foot-high waves inside the park's natural formation known as Devil’s Hole
September 24, 2022 3:58am
Updated: September 24, 2022 4:20pm
The strong earthquake that shook Mexico on Monday created a “desert tsunami” 1,500 away in a cave system in Death Valley National Park, Nevada.
The 7.6 earthquake hit Mexico for several seconds on Monday morning, minutes after the country held a national drill to remember the earthquakes of September 19, 1985, and 2017.
About 22 minutes after the quake, the tremors caused 4-foot-high waves inside Devil’s Hole, a partially water-filled limestone cave that runs hundreds of feet deep inside the national park.
The desert tsunami, technically known as a “seiche” stirred the sediment and the rocks on the shallow shelf, removing the algae growth from inside the cave.
According to the National Park Service, the desert tsunami could have devastating consequences for the endangered Devils Hole pupfish, which feed on the algae that were significantly reduced by the phenomenon.
“The pupfish have survived several of these events in recent years,” said Kevin Wilson, National Park Service aquatic ecologist. “We didn’t find any dead fish after the waves stopped.” The Devil's Hole pupfish population have been on an upswing lately.
Nine years ago, only 35 fish were inhabiting Devil’s Hole. However, in March of this year, the population increased to 175 fish.
The endangered Devils Hole pupfish is about one inch long and can be found on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in a section of Death Valley National Park in a single, submerged limestone cavern.
— U.S. Fish and Wildlife (@USFWS) May 21, 2021
Learn more about Devils Hole pupfish recovery efforts: https://t.co/aH9wFIcMFF pic.twitter.com/g6kYM5IDwA
