Comments on: Tsunami Disaster

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 14 Jan 2005 13:53:58 +0000

Absolute rubbish about not planning how to identify and mitigate the damage caused by natural disasters where cost-effectively possible.
Setting up a tsunami early warning system for the Indian Oceon is relatively cheap and, with proper co-ordination, will save many lives in the future.
Would the author advocate the abandonment of ‘earthquake-proof’ buildings in Japan or California? Or pulling down the Thames Barrier?

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By: Edward Teague

Edward Teague — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 00:36:19 +0000

The truth is that Tony Blair, on holiday, en famille at Sharm El Sheikh thought he would show the family how to part the Red Sea….

Back home at the ranch, Head Honcho Prescott was overheard to say, “Bloody whingeing boogers! Tiramisu ! I can eat five at a time AND I’m diabetic!”

“Bloody Lascars, now… when I wuz on the boats ….”

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By: melissa

melissa — Sun, 02 Jan 2005 22:30:43 +0000

Thanks Simon

Am onto the case – will advise when it is up and running: should be fine by the morning.

Melissa

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By: Lori

Lori — Sun, 02 Jan 2005 22:20:29 +0000

Scaryduck: Anywhere they don’t have to pay for it.

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By: Simon Holledge

Simon Holledge — Sun, 02 Jan 2005 15:15:38 +0000

Hi Melissa,

It seems the ability to put links in a comment (e.g. above) has been disabled. Any particular reason? (Would other commenters like to include links, I wonder?)

Happy New Year!

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By: Simon Holledge

Simon Holledge — Sun, 02 Jan 2005 14:39:38 +0000

It now emerges that scientists in Indonesia and Australia were recommending a tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean, as seismic activity off Java was causing concern. (Stephen Breen has an article in the Scotsman.)

Subduction earthquakes associated with tsunami occurred off the west of Sumatra in 1797 (8.4 magnitude), 1833 (8.7), 1861 (8.5). There was also an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 in 2000. Major earthquakes are known to occur, either singly or in pairs, on average every 230 years in this area. So the disaster was not unexpected.

earthquake.usgs.gov/eqinthenews/2004/usslav/neic_slav_faq.html

http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~sieh/publications/a10.html

news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=3592005

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By: Scaryduck

Scaryduck — Sun, 02 Jan 2005 00:10:54 +0000

You fool Lori! If we ban oceans, we ban seaside resorts in Egypt. And where, then, will the Blair family go for their Christmas holidays?

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By: Lori

Lori — Sat, 01 Jan 2005 18:16:01 +0000

I think it’s only a matter of time before we ban oceans. It’s for the children!

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By: Jozef Imrich

Jozef Imrich — Sat, 01 Jan 2005 04:27:40 +0000

“In classical times when Cicero had finished speaking, the people said, ‘How well he spoke,’ but when Demosthenes had finished speaking, they said, ‘Let us march.’”
-Adlai Stevenson

Boris, you make us catch existential waves! Sometimes we have to surf on the edge of ourselves to find our center …

I feel like retelling a short story of Ram Dass’ on this point. There are two waves drifting along in the ocean, one a bit bigger than the other. The bigger wave suddenly becomes very sad and upset. The smaller wave asks what’s wrong. “You don’t want to know,” the bigger wave says. “What is it?” the small wave asks. “No – really – it’s too terrible. If you knew what I knew, you’d never be happy.” The small wave persists. Finally the big wave explains: “You can’t see it, but I can see that, not too far from here, all of the waves are crashing on the shore. We are going to disappear.” The small wave says,” I can make you happy with just six words, but you have to listen very carefully to them.” The big wave doesn’t believe it — what does the small wave know that he doesn’t — but he’s desperate. After a while of doubting and mocking the small wave, the big wave finally gives in, and asks the small wave to tell him. And so the small wave says: “You’re not a wave, you’re water.”

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By: Simon Holledge

Simon Holledge — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 13:38:34 +0000

Our success or failure as a species depends on our ability to understand the natural world and live successfully within its constraints. The tsunami disaster is an example of a failure to do this, a reminder that they are no special guarantees for homo sapiens sapiens. We live or die on our wits.

In the case of another great challenge to mankind – global warming – we still don’t know whether we will succeed.

A personal note:
I know all the countries that suffered in the disaster, some well, some not so well. Neither Aceh nor Sri Lanka were happy places in recent years. I hope some good will eventually come of what has happened when people realize the folly of ethnic conflicts and agree to work together in a spirit of real cooperation both national and international.

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