Tsunami

[yrwyddfa]

Conodolences and sympathies to all those involved in this appalling tragedy

[mendhak]

71K and counting, according to CNN.

Death aside, it's interesting thinking of the mechanics involved, imagining the large amounts of water being displaced, and the rippling effect being carried all over the planet. Plates have moved 30 m.

[demotivater]

Hard to fathom the extent of the disaster. Once disease starts hitting, the death toll is going to skyrocket well past the 70 or 80k already confirmed.

[Xcoder]

80k according to CNN.

[SteveCRM]

I imagine the number is going to get even larger....when you think of how many places it hit. 80k is about 3 times the size of my town, but streched over that amount of coastline is a very thin line. those poor people

[szlamany]

I can't handle the pictures of the little kids looking for dead or missing parents - they are going to forever damaged by this loss.

It is overwhelmingly sad.

[SteveCRM]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science...eut/index.html

[MasterBlaster]

http://staff.aist.go.jp/kenji.satake/animation.gif

Wicked.

[SteveCRM]

116000

[CORONA BEER]

crazy
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ls_1&printer=1

[dglienna]

I heard 150K on the early edition news. Don't know how accurate it was. It seemed kind of high, but, who really knows? Hard to imagine that they didn't have some kind of warning system. (I know that Hawaii does)

[CORONA BEER]

Could be over 400,000

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/ne....php?id=111574

[honeybee]

I heard 150K on the early edition news. Don't know how accurate it was. It seemed kind of high, but, who really knows? Hard to imagine that they didn't have some kind of warning system. (I know that Hawaii does)

An interesting theory, haven't heard of any news of damage or casualties from Diego Garcia, the US base in the region. Rumour has it they knew of the quake and the tsunamis, but chose to use the time to protect themselves better, than passing on news to other nations.

Not to mention the diplomatic channels, news channels, satellites and what-not of modern communications which failed to communicate the news in time.

.

[mendhak]

Leave it to HB to drag the US into this.

You forgot to add that Bush was the one who caused the earthquake with his latest military-satellite-equipped-with-lasers technology.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...ego-garcia.htm

[dglienna]

My mom was only a few miles from the tornado's last year, and suffered no ill effects to the mobile home park that she lives in, while only 5 miles away, things got destroyed. I guess that it is just fate...

[NotLKH]

"A tropical footprint-shaped island"

???

[yrwyddfa]

"The UK doesn't charge the US rent"

[szlamany]

An interesting theory, haven't heard of any news of damage or casualties from Diego Garcia, the US base in the region. Rumour has it they knew of the quake and the tsunamis, but chose to use the time to protect themselves better, than passing on news to other nations.

Not to mention the diplomatic channels, news channels, satellites and what-not of modern communications which failed to communicate the news in time.

.

Everyone knew about the quake - it was huge and felt all over. Even a seismograph in Central Park, NYC registered the quake.

What is your point? Do you honestly think that anyone would not tell others of impending peril. How narrow minded and paranoid that is.

And how exactly do you think the "state-of-the-art" communication channels work on resort beaches? On poor and small island nations? 2 hours isn't a whole lot of time to react to something that hasn't happened before.

[Dillinger4]

Posted by honeybee

An interesting theory, haven't heard of any news of damage or casualties from Diego Garcia, the US base in the region. Rumour has it they knew of the quake and the tsunamis, but chose to use the time to protect themselves better, than passing on news to other nations.

Not to mention the diplomatic channels, news channels, satellites and what-not of modern communications which failed to communicate the news in time.

Yes exactly. The US actually did that so we could give 350 million in aid to make us look better.

[visualAd]

Yes exactly. The US actually did that so we could give 350 million in aid to make us look better.

Don't know the full story but I heard that it was known that the Tsunami's were on there way and had someone have made one phone call, many deaths could have been avoided. Granted 20mins warning isn't much, but its better than nothing.

I don't know who's fault it was, probably lack of infstructure in the countries involved, I very much doubt, even though some of the ethics and morals of the US are somewhat misplaced that they would scarifice hundreds of thousands of live, just to look good

[Dillinger4]

Posted by visualAd

I very much doubt, even though some of the ethics and morals of the US are somewhat misplaced that they would scarifice hundreds of thousands of live, just to look good

I agree. I just made that comment too see who would agree.

I mean no offence but the US is not the worlds weather forcaster. It's a tragedy that it happened but if countries know they are prone to get hit by a wave of that magnitude then i would think the proper research and steps would be taken in order to find out when a wave is on it's way.

[visualAd]

I agree. I just made that comment too see who would agree.

I mean no offence but the US is not the worlds weather forcaster. It's a tragedy that it happened but if countries know they are prone to get hit by a wave of that magnitude then i would think the proper research and steps would be taken in order to find out when a wave is on it's way.

If counrtries who were prone to this kind of disaster had the money and the resources to take the steps neccessary to minimise the loss of lives, I'm sure they would have done. I never said the US was blameless, the likes of them, the UK and other developed countries have a lot to answer for.

Why don't countries like Sri Lanka and Indonisia have the resources? Because it is in the long term interest of developed countries that they stay third world countries. Politics makes me sick

[ice_531]

death toll around 150k + now i assume... on the 30th it was confirmed to be 112k...so might even be 200k by now

These are only "confirmed deaths", no telling how many haven't been found, and never will be.

[mendhak]

The thing about third world countries is that action is taken only after something major has happened. So, now that the tsunami is over, they'll be setting up a warning system for tsunamis. Half heartedly because they either won't be expecting it to happen again or they'll be hoping it doesn't happen again. Meanwhile, something else happens. Like a volcanic eruption on land.

And so the saga continues...

Edit: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science...eut/index.html

[NotLKH]

The thing about third world countries is that action is taken only after something major has happened. So, now that the tsunami is over, they'll be setting up a warning system for tsunamis. Half heartedly because they either won't be expecting it to happen again or they'll be hoping it doesn't happen again

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapc....ap/index.html

"Asian officials conceded Monday that they failed to issue broad public warnings immediately after a massive undersea earthquake in Indonesia, which could have saved countless lives from the subsequent giant waves "

""The department had up to an hour to announce the emergency message and evacuate people but they failed to do so," Thammasarote was quoted as saying in The Bangkok Post newspaper. "It is true that an earthquake is unpredictable but a tsunami, which occurs after an earthquake, is predictable." "

[OrdinaryGuy]

I just don't get it, a huge earth quake occurs under the sea and no one could figure out it would cause a tsunami?

[szlamany]

I just don't get it, a huge earth quake occurs under the sea and no one could figure out it would cause a tsunami?

The sea floor itself shifted over 30 meters - 100 feet.

That movement of landmass caused the tsunami.

Earthquakes do not cause tsunami's by default. Not all earthquakes are at the surface - some, most actually, occur deep inside the earth.

Tsunami's only damage land when the coast leading up to the land slowly gets more shallow. That's why some small island atolls took no damage - they rise from the sea floor rapidly, so the pushing tsunami wave does not crest.

[Shaggy Hiker]

When an earthquake happens under the ocean, it is generally safer to assume a tsumai is on its way rather than going to the beach for a look.

[Dillinger4]

Well at least India doesn't have to deal with volcanic pyroclastic flows. But then again maybe they would be better off since there is usually fair warning as to when they are comming.

[wossname]

I heard a preposterous remark from a scientits at the seismic labs the other day:

"We knew about the impending tsunami but we had no way to warn people, there are no oficial channels to do that."

What a load of old bollocks. Have you not heard of the police, coastguard, government. Come on! You just sat back with a bowl of popcorn and waited for the fun. *******s.

[BodwadUK]

Its always the case with waves you cant tell how far away they are and thus how big they are. The problem is you can see along way out to sea and by the time you realise the extent it doesnt leave much time. This was never expected and nobody is at fault. Deal with it

[Valleysboy1978]

If counrtries who were prone to this kind of disaster had the money and the resources to take the steps neccessary to minimise the loss of lives, I'm sure they would have done. I never said the US was blameless, the likes of them, the UK and other developed countries have a lot to answer for.

Why don't countries like Sri Lanka and Indonisia have the resources? Because it is in the long term interest of developed countries that they stay third world countries. Politics makes me sick

Apparently the UN offered the asian 3rd world countries (although India is not a 3rd world country) an early warning system that Japan, China and the US currently have. They offered this system at 10% of the normal price because the UN would pay the other 90%.

They refused it saying it was "Too expensive, and not vital". The asian governments have as much to blame as the other governments. The infrastructure to let everyone know was simply not there. Many of the Indonesian islands and outlying areas simply have no way of communicating each other over long distances as phones and radio communications simply were not in place.

Unfortunately this tsunami has hit the worst area it could have. Non-developed areas with little communcation and whose government were simply not prepared for it.

Think on this though, India, which has been hard hit, is refusing ALL international aid because they can "handle the situation". And they call the UN pig-headed??

[BodwadUK]

Something like this hasnt happened in living memory why suddenly expect it know? The point is it is rare which often makes all of us too self assured to worry about it.

Its happened lets ensure that the damage is repaired as best as we can and that minimal people die from dissease etc. Then we can worry about paying money into an early warning system.

[Valleysboy1978]

Something like this hasnt happened in living memory why suddenly expect it know? The point is it is rare which often makes all of us too self assured to worry about it.

Its happened lets ensure that the damage is repaired as best as we can and that minimal people die from dissease etc. Then we can worry about paying money into an early warning system.

I agree Bodwad, I really do. I was just trying to point out that all the world's governments will simply not admit they were wrong and accept help.
I think the last time it happened was about 100 years ago and the wave then was nearly 100ft.....twice the size of this tsunami.

The greatest threat now is disease from the rotting bodies, because...understandably...people do not want them buried until they are identified.

[visualAd]

Sick: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/4145591.stm

[wossname]

I hope everyone observed the 3 minute silence just now.

Between you and me I don't know why they keep making the silences longer all the time. There must be a mathematical function defining the requisite number of minutes that you must remain mute after x deaths have occurred.

t = 1 + ((x/100000) log(d))

where d is a number I just thought up.

[BodwadUK]

I havent really spoken to anyone properly today

[Valleysboy1978]

I hope everyone observed the 3 minute silence just now.

Between you and me I don't know why they keep making the silences longer all the time. There must be a mathematical function defining the requisite number of minutes that you must remain mute after x deaths have occurred.

t = 1 + ((x/100000) log(d))

where d is a number I just thought up.

Apparently it is proportinal to the amount of deaths, as you suggest. Makes you wonder why we only have 1 minute silence on Rememberence day when millions died during the various wars

[BodwadUK]

We cant be silent for that long

[Valleysboy1978]

We cant be silent for that long

Indeed, and i think having it EVERY year has made it a chore rather than a special event to stop and think. Rememberence day should have been every other year as my generation certainly just don't seem that bothered about it. And I will admit, that I don't really buy a poppy any more because every year i get the feeling it is being rammed down my throat that I have to remember what happened.

Of course I remember what happened! Millions died because one idiot wanted more than he could have. Rememberance day has become a religious event, which is a shame as they always distort things to their own ends.