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TSUNAMI
source: http://www.climate.org/
topics/extreme-weather
/tsunami2005.html
www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/
2005-01/14/content_408733.htm
www.geo.utexas.edu/courses/302c/
NEWS/tsunami.htm
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World attention has focused remarkably quickly on the grave humanitarian crisis in South Asia produced by the December 26th 2004 tsunami…- the phenomenon swept well over 170,000 to their deaths in 11 countries in Asia and Africa and has made many more homeless;
- this tsunami was caused by a massive earthquake off the Indonesian coast that had a terrifying ripple effect across thousands of miles of the ocean. Earthquakes, asteroids or even volcanic eruptions might produce such tsunamis with devastating consequences for coastal regions in their path;
- there is no evidence that this tragedy is due to the enhanced greenhouse effect that may in fact already be increasing the incidence of severe storms and threatening greater storm surge and inundation;
- however, no tsunami detection systems are in place in the Indian and Atlantic Ocean regions, and this considerably increased the number of deaths and causalities;
- moreover, mass tourism and unsustainable coastal overexploitation contributed without any doubt to the incredible proportion of the tragedy. To minimise damage from tsunamis and the like, we need to focus on reducing our vulnerability to disasters;
- coral reefs and mangroves are absolutely vital in safeguarding people living in those areas. The report, Geo Year Book 2004/5, quotes a preliminary report by an Indian institute that showed mangrove forests in Pitchavaran and Muthupet regions of south India acted like shields and bore the brunt of the tsunami.
Efficient alarm systems could save million of people…- Bangladesh has by itself experienced about ten times the fatalities of the 2004 tsunami in a series of tropical cyclones since 1970. One tropical cyclone in 1970 may have taken the lives of as many as 1.2 million Bangladeshi; another in 1991 appears to have claimed about 138,000 lives;
- in response to this huge carnage from the sea Bangladesh after the 1991 tragedy began to develop and implement a relatively inexpensive response system involving tropical cyclone shelters and short wave radio links to villages;
- a $30 million Indian Ocean tsunami alert system would be launched in June 2006, and a system covering the rest of the world would follow a year later costing about $130 million.
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