130,000+ people die due to tidal wave in Asia... (1 Viewer)

[DavidY]

http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/A...hub=topstories

I have been wondering why the local TV and radio stations didn't publicize the possibility of a tsunami or tidal wave throughout all parts of the Southeast Asia....would have saved many lives assuming the residents would heed the message to head up to higher ground.

Dave

 

[JustinCleveland]

From that article David posted:

That's what blows my mind. In America, if a bad storm is coming, (I work in radio) we get calls from weather spotters and can generally warn people well in advance. Sure there is a language barrier, but wasn't there SOMEONE they could have gotten in touch with? When I see stories that a 15-minute walk inland would have saved lives, it almost makes me so frustrated that I feel anger.

 

[Henry Gale]

Who was it that said, "Then we're stupid and we'll die*."
This business about the time consuming and expensive warning system is just rubbish.
Here's a system:
The bell goes off at the already existing sesmic detector.
Someone there looks at the wall map and calls, oh, let's say the Pentagon. Someone at the Pentagon is probaby awake to answer the phone and they in turn contact defense headquarters of the relevant countries. From there the local radio and TV stations are told to haul out their already existing instructions.
Time elapsed....30 minutes. Cost....$78.00.

*Pris in Blade Runner

 

[Malcolm R]

...or apparent lack thereof. Typical.

These countries (at least India) can find the money to develop nuclear weapons to kill millions, but can't sink a couple million dollars into a system that could save lives?

Hard to believe the human race still survives. You'd think such stupidity would have rendered us extinct decades ago.

 

[Brian Perry]

I think there should have been more warning given by authorities.

As someone said, you can't predict an earthquake, but you can predict a tsunami (though not necessarily the direction, which the system in the Pacific Ocean can detect). When the 9.0 magnitude earthquake was detected--within minutes of occurring--every country should have been put on alert to evacuate the coastlines.

I hate to say it, but I think the death toll will far surpass the 23,000 they are saying now.

 

[MarkHastings]

Ok, I'm really being sensitive here, but the question begs to be asked. If this tidal wave hit elsewhere, I wonder how bad the death toll would be? I don't mean, the devestation would be less in California because they would have been warned...what I mean is, usually these types of places have such high catastrophy rates because of the way the people live.

Just like the hurricanes in the carribean, the hotels faired a lot better than the shacks that most people live in. The question is, would a hotel or home (on the beach) be able to take the hit that this tidal wave unleashed?

 

[Dave Poehlman]

I was just reading this sad article


I doubt any of us will have an opportunity to witness this phenomenon, but this is the first indication that a tidal wave/tsunami is approaching. As the wave begins to crest in shallower water, the water ahead of it is sucked up adding to the strength of the wave. Also, this would be your final warning to get to higher ground as fast as you can.

Unfortunately, it sounds like some people were more curious than cautious.

 

[Brian Perry]

I think it would be interesting to see a video (if one exists) of the water being sucked off the shorelines. Of course, anyone with a camera at that point should have turned around and run as fast as they could...

 

[Carlo_M]

Not to trivialize what has happened by bringing Michael Crichton's new book into the discussion, but I had to post this because it's a bit eerie.

In his new novel, ecoterrorists planned on creating a huge man-made earthquake in an island on the Pacific, with the intent being that the created tidal wave would build and wipe out U.S. coastal cities like L.A. I literally read that like a week ago, and wondered about the power of such an event.

And then the tragic real life events show that although it is still fiction, there are some things that are based off of facts in his books. My prayers and thoughts go out to those in the affected areas.

 

[DavidY]

When I was living along the north coast of British Columbia (just southeast of Alaska) and there was a significant earthquake nearby, I was told to head to higher ground immediately due to the threat of tsunami. Of course, there are always some locals that will not heed the threat and head down to the beach or waterfront for a chance look at a tsunami/tidal wave (running towards them at several hundred miles per hour). Heading up to higher ground is especially good advice if an earthquake is hitting 7 or more on the Richter scale (i.e. tsunami threat is increased).

Dave

 

[Dave Poehlman]

HERE is a good article that describes the forces at work to create such a disaster.

 

[Danny Tse]

In Northern California, we get a local angle on tidal waves as much damage was caused here from the 1964 Alaska 9.2 earthquake. While that happened way before my time, there are black-and-white footage of the damages done here in Northern California.

BTW, Jet Li was in the affected area but he's OK.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english...ent_403729.htm

 

[Bill Huelbig]

The author of "2001" and many other excellent science fiction novels, Arthur C. Clarke, has lived in Sri Lanka for many years. Here is a message from him concerning the tsunamis:

http://www.clarkefoundation.org/

 

[BrianShort]

Carlo: There was a show on the Discovery Channel awhile back that was talking about mega-tsunamis that could be created by massive landslides. There was one that occured in Lituya Bay up here in Alaska, back in the 50's I believe, that scoured large conifer trees up to several hundred feet of elevation. Then they were talking about one of the Canary Islands (I don't remember the name of it), which scientists have said is unstable, and if it had an earthquake or eruption (it's volcanic), one whole side of the island could slide into the ocean, causing a wave large enough to wipe out the east coast. If that's true, it sounds like what happened in Crichton's latest book (I guess I should read it), might be somewhat accurate, apart from the wave being caused by an earthquake and not a landslide.

Brian

 

[Chris]

We were all talking to my sis today (state dept.) and she was telling us that the embassies tried to alert people, and get the message out; but that many TV stations/radio were all automated and/or unprepared with no way to announce broad enough the news.. and many didn't do anything. More then that, civil defense alerts (like airhorns or sirens as are present in many communities here in the US) don't exist for the numerous people (like a giant swath of the population) who do not have radios or TV... more then 1/2 do not have TV, especially in some of the more remote Islands.

She let us know this morning that they expected the death toll by end of day to be about 44,000.. we're getting close (42k right now, according to AP) but when I heard from everyone tonight, the expectation is that may go up.. significant... because so many on the smaller islands are not accounted for and it's difficult to know how many were killed as of yet, the counting is only beginning. It may be difficult to impossible to ever really know how many died.

 

[Grant B]

I heard thst the early warning system was not in place because it rarely affects the indian ocean
I am not sure if warned why they couldn't start sounding sirens if the radio station couldn't help.
Considering all the internal strife many of these countries are going through, it's the worst of all things

So freaking sad.

 

[WillG]

I was reading the current issue of Maxim Magazine which had an article about giant earthquakes and Tsunamis, a few minutes later, I turn on the TV and for the first time, see the news of the event...eerie.

 

[Ron-P]

Thus the reason a siren would do nothing. The last thing people would think to do was run inland from a tsunami. The only way to effectively warn people is via radio or TV and instruct them what is coming and what to do.

 

[Trevor Schell]

The Death toll is now at over 40,000
This is a total tragedy. Devastating!!:frowning:

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I am happy to see how generous the world's richest nations are being. It's okay to spend $100 billion invading countries, but $7 million to help in the worst natural disaster to hit in decades is too much...