You may ask why there would be an earthquake or tsunami. It has to do with how volcanoes form new land. Take a look at this photo and I think you'll understand. I took this on the slope of Kilauea, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The black band is where lava has flowed. Notice the drop-off to a flat shelf of land, with the sea beyond. At one point in time, the shelf suddenly fell away. Bench Collapse can be massive, felt as an earthquake and displacing a lot of water. Now, go back to the previous picture and tell me what is going to happen to that area someday, maybe even today.
Kilauea Overlooking the Sea
From Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com
The lava that flows from volcanoes, such as Kilauea, shatters into pieces as it enters the ocean. As the pile of rubble grows, it becomes heavy, until there is a massive undersea avalanche.
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