Largest earthquake in 40 years.

[Leslie]

I find it awesome that India is doing much to help its neighbours while at the same time going through the same problems. Good karma to India.

 

[abooja]

India is also trying to help themselves, not that they shouldn't.

I say good karma to Pakistan.

 

[ResearchMonkey]

My question is;

Why were there no warnings released?

"My wife and I were sitting on deckchairs and enjoying the sun when the tsunami hit," he added. "Suddenly the hotel siren went off and people were blowing whistles. We could see waves appearing on the horizon. There was a lot of warning, about 10 minutes, before the tsunami hit the beach."

But British tourist Kenneth Blunt noted there was no widespread public warning for residents. "It is strange that they were not warned. Often after an earthquake there will be tsunamis. Why did no one warn the people?" the 52-year-old factory worker said.

Source

So there was some warning in some places.... atleast for the paying customers . I guess they chose not to use their EmergencyBroadcastSystem to warn the civi's .... oh yeah, they probabababaally chose to not create one of those too.


It seems I also heard that there were warning issued to civi's in *X-area ...but they were ignored and the people went to pick-up the free fish.

the thing is, everybody in the developed world has some sort of disaster warning system but where it was needed most; there was nothing...

Oh how I love the never ending enlighted view of bleeding-hearts

...Please define this twisted statement >>> but where it was needed most; there was nothing

Now I give you height makes for great mental pictures, but the time of wave (read: thickness) is actually where most of the power comes from.

Californ-I-A has been hit by some humm-dingers in the recent past. Due to the large populations on the Western coast we have good reason to protect our own. The East coast has been recently hit with some sizable tides as well. .... and if you consider a wave 40' with a 20minute time traveling at 200mph and Florida natural elevation of a few meters, ....well think about it.

But heres the kicker. we cant detect a Tsunami. We look at the information from geologic sensors and topography and deduce the probability of an event based on information that is readily available to everyone.

So the solution may be as simple as to have each nation hire someone to sit at computer and monitor the USGS ....simply refresh the page every :30 seconds. .... How hard could that be?

hit

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[Gonz]

The scary thing for me is that my husband & his friends are planning a surf trip to Indo in a few months ... what if this happened while they were there

Hang twenty dudette.

 

[ResearchMonkey]

The scary thing for me is that my husband & his friends are planning a surf trip to Indo in a few months ... what if this happened while they were there

....take the long boards

 

[AlladinSane]

They're saying now that post-tsunami diseases can double the death toll...

 

[tank girl]

Q: Why do I ask about warning systems?

A:It seems as though despite their potential volatility the plates in the Indian ocean, compared to those on the pacific rim have been seriously overlooked as far as tsunami risks are concerned.

Many cities around- the Pacific, notably in Japan but also in Hawaii, have warning systems and evacuation procedures in the event of a serious tsunami. Tsunamis are predicted by various seismologic institutes around the world and their progress monitored by satellites. The first rudimentary system to alert communities of an impending tsunami was attempted in Hawaii in the 1920s. More advanced systems were developed in the wake of the April 1, 1946 and May 23, 1960 tsunamis which caused massive devastation in Hilo, Hawaii. The United States created the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (http://www.prh.noaa.gov/pr/ptwc/) in 1949, and linked it to an international data and warning network in 1965.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunami

Isn't it interesting that where the most sophisticated systems are in place also correspond the worlds wealthy, developed and more technologically advanced nations. The ones that go without are the most ignorant, the most poor and the most helpless in the wake of a disaster and therefore the ones that really need some sort of established pre-crisis and warning system established in the first place. No doubt something will be done after this : too bad for the 70,000++ or so (because its unlikely an exact, accurate figure will ever be known) wiped out by this freak of nature.

tsunamis, are to a certain extent far more detectable than earthquakes...despite the fact the travel and tremendous speeds - where warning systems are already in place more lives could be spared...they obviously can't prevent the disaster from happening but with the right system in place some things can be done to save some lives - and thats what counts.

Why do I say that this is the worst place that this could have happened? Simple: It is far, far too overwhelming for the lack of preperation for disaster , for the absolute horror of the rising death toll -and not to mention the disease resulting in an even higher death toll. These nations affected have no infrastructure in the first place, so there is absolutely no solid base to build on and the Humanitarian aid can only do so much and no doubt in a years time the world will have forgotten...There is absolutely no way it will ever be able to recover from this and these areas will probably feel the impact for decades to come.

a few quotes:

This week's devastating tsunami came as no surprise to scientists. The quake that triggered the destruction was just off the western tip of Sumatra in a geologically violent region where two of the plates that make up the Earth's surface collide, and where similar upheavals have been seen before.

An early warning system still could have saved many lives. The deadly surge struck southern Thailand about an hour after the earthquake. After two or so hours, the torrents had travelled some 1,000 miles and slammed India and Sri Lanka. At a meeting in June of the UN's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, experts concluded that the Indian Ocean should have a warning network.

We can't control nature, but we can prepare for the worst

btw I may seem like a bleeding heart but I feel its far, far more important to have a social concience than an egocentric one, trying to justify your own method of madness while others actually give a damn about what is going on in the world.

This is hardly a laughing matter. There isn't a way to describe or compare the scope of this tragedy and I feel disgusted by anyone who only think of themselves - or think they can compare or joke about this, all those unrecognised lives and faces (not the western tourists plastered all over the newspapers) but those thousands of unknown individials going about their day who just happen to be in the wrong part of the world, at the wrong time.

 

[Winky]

"most sophisticated systems are in place also correspond the worlds wealthy, developed and more technologically advanced nations. The ones that go without are the most ignorant, the most poor and the most helpless"

Yes my young friend
that is the way of the world

Rich people are worth
more than poor people LMAO

 

[ResearchMonkey]

OK honey, lemmie spell it out for you, from your own shrambling…

The United States created the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center

Who created the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center?

Who borders the Pacific Ocean?


…seeing a pattern yet?




Who would have concerns about what happens in the Indian Ocean…?

** hint, they can afford to own a few of these.

….well certainly if India can posses such hi-tech weapons of the glowing type, they can surely afford a small series of submersible seismic sensors. … doncha’ think!

And secondly, we have yet to protect our Atlantic states from historically active hydraulic monsters. Have you ever heard of the Atlantic Tsunami Warning Center? …dint think so … that would be far higher on my list of “things the US needs to do”.

And I will repeat this, as you repeated it back …… we told them this more than once…… “dudes, you really need to place some sensors in that thar Ocean to protect yourselves from Tsunamis” ….. did they? ….who’s fault is that?

tsunamis, are to a certain extent far more detectable than earthquakes

… You really believe that?! …..Far more detectable??? ...to a certain extent? < what ever does that mean?

Oh, I think I get it, you can’t feel a small earthquake, but you always know when a small tsunami destroys everything in its path. … Yes more detectable.


Bottom line sweet-heart…. There is risk in that area, those people need to come together and figure out how to do it. More then a few of those nation have nuclear energy and big-assed bombs, surly they can afford to place technology that has already been invented.

Maybe they just arent being taxed enough; hell if’n you taxed every person in India $5 …. That’s over $5-BILLION dollhairs … that should more then cover it.


Oh, about your bleeding-heart, I think its sorta cute

 

[Gonz]

Another clear example of "I wish the United States would go away & leave us alone & get their nose out of our business, the big bully, unless it's something that would mean they give away their wealth."

 

[Thulsa Doom]

Yet another tragic situation hijacked by the "Lets use this event to justify my political thinking" people. How pathetic. And you guys call yourselves pillars of morality.

Heres all we need to worry about: HELP THE PEOPLE. LIMIT THE SUFFERING. MINIMIZE THE DEATH.

Lemme know when you grow up enough to see whats important in life. "Ha ha they are dead because they are stupid and poor" gets us no where.

 

[abooja]

Who created the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center?

Who borders the Pacific Ocean?

Who would have concerns about what happens in the Indian Ocean…?

** hint, they can afford to own a few of these.

….well certainly if India can posses such hi-tech weapons of the glowing type, they can surely afford a small series of submersible seismic sensors. … doncha’ think!

And secondly, we have yet to protect our Atlantic states from historically active hydraulic monsters. Have you ever heard of the Atlantic Tsunami Warning Center? …dint think so … that would be far higher on my list of “things the US needs to do”.

You make many good points. Not all of the affected countries are too dirt poor to have invested in early warning systems. It's not at all a question of capitalistic pigs hogging all the technology to ourselves, but of corrupt governments not putting the safety of their citizens first.

Also, I live on the East Coast, fairly close to the Atlantic Ocean. (My parents are even closer.) I wouldn't mind one of those Atlantic Tsunami Warning Centers myself.

 

[Gonz]

Yet another tragic situation hijacked by the "Lets use this event to justify my political thinking" people.

Hey now, we can't help it if TG overtook the thread.

 

[PT]

Isn't it interesting that where the most sophisticated systems are in place also correspond the worlds wealthy, developed and more technologically advanced nations.

Not that interesting. More common sense really. Do you also expect the wealthy citizens of a city to install burglar alarms in the slums?

 

[AlladinSane]

Also consider that 60.000 deaths is peanuts to a country with 1+ bilion people. Sadly that's the way they see it...

 

[kr5]

Also consider that 60.000 deaths is peanuts to a country with 1+ bilion people. Sadly that's the way they see it...

Just like 3000 or so dead after 9/11 I guess... peanuts

 

[Winky]

Americans are worth more than other people.
That’s the advantage of living in a rich nation.

 

[Leslie]

I have .82 of the worth of an American.

 

[tank girl]

*now, c'mon research chimpanzee, what are you tanked on? Bullshit, obviously...

http://www.nature.com/news/2004/041229/full/041229-4.html

 

[Winky]

Well that sure beats the Thailand Baht

1 THB = 0.0256167 USD