Tsunami simulation - Page 2

Hi Charlie, If you live in certain places, earthquake, volcanic eruptions, hurricaines, Tsunamis, floods, avalanches etc., etc., are all part of the earth cycle. I live in the midwestern US. Few people know that one of the gems of our National Park system, Yellowstone National Park, is a supervolcano. When it erupts again, or one of the other 5-6 known supervolcanoes, it could extinguish most life within months from the sheer volume of material ejected into the atmosphere. Photosynthesis would stop, and living creatures dependent on photosynthesis for food would die. Population growth as it is now, with ever increasing needs for people to live in hazard zones, make this event, horrific as it is, something that will happen again and again. This may be the biggest catastrophe people living now will ever see on earth, but earth is dynamic and many other such events are sure to happen again. As for people who post idiotic messages, I agree with you. Simply do not read the posts from those people. This is the price one pays now where no moderator exists to assure cogent, civil comments. Take care....and donate.

Hodie, Intelligent comments made above are of interest. Historians have it that Europe was plunged into Dark Ages directly as result of vulcano eruption (Indonesia-way) in early sixth century - with catastrophic agriculture failure, pestilence, and a great movement of people across Europe/Asia. I believe a great part of California sits on a plate distinct from rest of Continent, and that this is meant to separate and move into Pacific eventually. What surprises me about early warning system mentioned is that apparently it can be installed incredibly cheaply with systems already in place - including automatic telephone alert dialling. Of course, as you say, its effectiveness is questionable if there is no-where to flee! Scale of disaster is such that obviously much more money will be required if it is to have any impact and avert continuing disaster. Cheers.

There have been 5 or 6 mass extinction events in the history of the earth. At least one of these is now thought to have been responsible for the extinction not only of the dinosaurs, but many other species as well. The event usually attributed to this extinction event was the impact of an asteroid near the Yucatan Penninsula. I believe the Tsunami warning system in place in the pacific is, in some locals, tied to both sirens and phone systems. Here, in most places, yes, there are places of higher ground, unlike in much of the areas devastated in the Indian Ocean. But again, one must be realistic. In any very large mass catastrophe event, even in the US, emergency services will be quickly overwhelmed. Escape routes would be quickly blocked and hopelessly tangled. So even along the western coast of the US, there would probably be significant loss of life. In SE Asia, where most people live a subsistance style of life, where infrastructure is poor at best, where homes are made of materials unable to withstand even small floods etc., there is little that an early warning system might have done to avert the mounting death toll. Again, with basic services, food, water, shelter missing for so many people who did survive, epidemics will surely break out and many more will loose their lives waiting for help to arrive. As a person with much emergency response training and experience, I can tell you that the average person simply has no idea how long it takes to coordinate even the most basic restoration of service for a few thousand people, let alone the hundreds of thousands now in need. People need to think for themselves about how they would go for days without food and water and other basic supplies and be prepared. There are inevitable natural occurrences that we all can be better prepared for. But when you have no place to get to safe ground, then all is lost. Again, I urge all participants on this board to contribute as you can to a legitimate relief agency. This is not a SE Asia disaster, this is a disaster for mankind.

Hodie, I believe whole of Gulf Of Mexico was result of meteor impact about sixty million years ago - same one that led to large-scale extinctions. I really didn't care to make the point earlier but, in light of scale of disaster, like you, I was stupefied/mystefied when I heard how tiny original offer of US aid was - I think a jet-fighter costs more! Since then a spokesman mentioned it would only be the first contribution - some saving grace there, but still! If these people are to be really helped, it's not millions we should be speaking of, but billions! Total agreement with your other points: only last night an aid workers told how his group couldn't even get to those that desperately needed help as there was no access. Best of luck, and a good New Year.

Hi All, As far as donations are concerned at this moment I feel very proud to be British, though sad it took the wisdom, generosity and compassion of the British Public to shame present goverment into increasing size of their original donation. As for these early warning systems for areas which had no higher ground & thereby nowhere for locals to reach safety despite early warning. However also led to understand that those already out at sea were in safer waters than those on land. Therefore would it be a stupid idea for me to suggest many rubber motorised dingies could have taken many isolated islanders out to sea, if warning received in advance and equipment available for those who wished to go? Just a thought. I realise it might be totally impractical and a foolish notion, I know nothing about tides, just what I heard on TV. If too stupid a suggestion for words, Prefer you ignore than ridicule. This too sensitive a topic for the mindless to parade in. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones, homes and livelihood. Regards Sue B

Hi, I am from India and have heard some terrible stories first hand. This was bad. I have with me some pics of the Tsunami waves.There may be few of you there and in this part of the world who have not seen the devastation of the Tsunami- most of those who actually saw the Tsunami are no more with us. But these pics shd give you an idea of what hit us. There is this couple who were on the Madras beach- they heard a rumbling sound from the sea while they were having breakfast at a wayside shack - the next thing they knew was that they were in hospital- thank God they survived- this is the only couple I know where both survived- others lost some one.Two three your old kids are stranded having lost mom, dad and brothers and sisters. Can you understand the plight of these kids- Nodyboy. Anyway there are so many stories each would make you feel very bad. Mathew mathewajit@hotmail.com

Email me if you want these pics. By the way it may interest all of us that the only warning came from dogs- who kept barking their heads off-two to three hrs before the waves struck- only people did not know why they were barking.