Did you know about the tsunami on the Adriatic?
In May, when Tvrtko Korbar from the Croatian Geological Institute in Hvar presented the results of several years of geological research and sophisticated analysis, which suggested that a catastrophic tsunami hit the Adriatic region 66 million years ago, which was uniquely demonstrated by traces found at the Majerovica bay west of the city, everything seemed a bit sensationalist, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on October 24, 2015.
However, since an international team of scientists and quite persuasive evidence support this theory, the island is starting to approach the issue with a bit more seriousness, and now, after a presentation of the geological map of the island of Hvar in the scale of 1:50,000, it is clear that the site has a significant ‘geo-tourist’ potential.
“It is almost unbelievable coincidence that in the town of Hvar there is a unique carbonate sediment in which we have found evidence which suggests that it has been created by a catastrophic tsunami, most likely caused by an asteroid impact in the area of Yucatan in Mexico, which has left specific records in shallow water carbonate sediments, even here, some 10,000 kilometers away from the impact zone”, Korbar said, adding that the Hvar geological tour would include the surrounding area, including some of the most interesting collections of fossils, such as the one owned by the family of late Josip Radovanović and others, as well as the sites where they have been found.
The aforementioned map is actually a standardized view of the geological and geographic region, produced in the context of the national research project which is being continuously carried out by the Department of Geology of the Croatian Geological Institute. In addition to Korbar, the presentation included Nenad Kurtanjek, head of Cartography Department, and Nenad Oštrić, project leader for the island of Hvar.
The process of preparing the General Geological Map of Croatia includes paleontological, sedimentological, stratigraphic, mineralogical, petrographic, tectonic, geomorphologic and other specialized analyses. Similar maps are being prepared for other areas of the Split-Dalmatia County, as well as other parts of Croatia.
The map will be an indispensable basis for targeted and applied research in the field of mineral and energy resources, underground water analysis, analysis of ‘geo-tourist’ potentials, spatial planning and environmental protection, planning in agriculture and forestry, geological hazard assessment, education at all levels, and focused scientific research.
During the presentation, the public was able to see how the map had been prepared and was introduced to the newest findings. The copies of the Hvar map have been presented to the representatives of the local government units on the island.
