A catastrophic megathrust earthquake in the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone represents one of the most severe natural hazard threats to the Pacific Rim. New scientific modeling and simulated video released by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) illustrate the terrifying, destructive path a mega-tsunami generated by a hypothetical magnitude 9.2 earthquake would take across the Pacific Ocean, directly targeting the U.S. West Coast. Watch the computer modeling below. The simulation demonstrates how surging ocean waves would race southward, striking coastal communities across Washington, Oregon, and California within hours. Addressing the stark reality of distant tsunami hazards, DNR geologists emphasized the necessity of advanced preparation: "It is startling, and it is scary... trying to understand those hazards is critical for being able to plan for them.…