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US Military Unleashes Massive East Coast Explosion; No Tsunami Threat

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Water erupts into the air from an explosion alongside the USS Gerald Ford (CVN 78). Image: US Navy
Water erupts into the air from an explosion alongside the USS Gerald Ford (CVN 78) earlier this year. Image: US Navy





USGS seismographs have recorded a massive explosion off of the U.S. east coast east of Jacksonville, Florida today, August 8, 2021; registering as the equivalent of a 3.9 magnitude earthquake, experts say there is no risk of a tsunami to the East Coast from the blast. The blast occurred at 3:55 pm local time and was likely the work of the U.S. Navy which is conducting “shock trial testing” of a new ship.

The Navy is conducting the shock trial testing in accordance with Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Instruction 9072.2, and as mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016. According to the U.S. Navy, Ford’s shock trials are being conducted off the East Coast of the United States, within a narrow schedule that complies with environmental mitigation requirements, respecting known migration patterns of marine life in the test area. The Navy also has employed extensive protocols throughout FSST to ensure the safety of military and civilian personnel participating in the testing evolution.




The center of the blast was just off the east coast of Florida. Image: USGS
The center of the blast was just off the east coast of Florida. Image: USGS

The purpose of the FSST is to ensure the ship is properly hardened to withstand battle conditions. Because this is a first of its kind aircraft carrier, Navy experts will analyze data captured in and around the ship from these explosions to confirm the ship is capable of dealing with potential battle conditions with real enemy forces at sea.

According to USGS, the explosion centered roughly 103 miles east-northeast of Beverly Beach on the Florida central east coast was picked up by their network of seismographs. The “experimental explosion” was recorded as a 3.9 magnitude earthquake, a significant seismic event for this region. While earthquakes are ongoing around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the area of the explosion isn’t known for any seismic activity.




The U.S. Navy says that once the  FSST wraps-up later this summer, the USS Gerald Ford will enter a Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) for six months of modernization, maintenance, and repairs prior to its operational employment.

With the FSST ongoing for the coming weeks, east coast residents should be aware of additional likely earthquake alerts from the USGS, but know that they are likely from these intentionally detonated bombs and not a natural seismic event.