"Most powerful earthquake in 40 years."

[AJ_77]

U.S. officials who detected the quake tried frantically to reach contacts in the region but they were unable to do so because there was no warning mechanism in place.

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

[Tarolisol]

Even if they could warnthem about the tsunami it was moving upto 600mph there would not be enough time to evactuate anyone.

[Beverly]

All people would have had to do to avoid getting killed by the tidal wave was move to higher ground and away from the beaches. There could have been enough time if there was a warning system in place like there is in the Pacific.

According to one of the articles I read about it today, they have been talking about putting a warning system in the Indian Ocean, but have not implemented it for a few reasons, one of which was they didn't think there was significant danger in that region. Guess that'll all change quickly.

Donations can be made to the Canadian Red Cross for those interested in helping out.

[Samw]

Originally Posted by AJ_77

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

Right, they knew the tsunami was coming but they didn't know the Earthquake was coming. So US scientists didn't really predict the Earthquake was coming 1.5h before it occurred.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Samw

Right, they knew the tsunami was coming but they didn't know the Earthquake was coming. So US scientists didn't really predict the Earthquake was coming 1.5h before it occurred.

no one said they predicted the quake, they did have 1.5 hours from the time of the quake till the first wave hit ground which would have been plenty of time to move people off the beaches and to higher ground. needless waist of life.

[Samw]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

no one said they predicted the quake, they did have 1.5 hours from the time of the quake till the first wave hit ground which would have been plenty of time to move people off the beaches and to higher ground. needless waist of life.

Hi Steve. I thought that's what you said when you wrote "American scientists new about the quake 1.5 hours be for it happened" which was why I followed up by asking if you meant the Tsunami instead of the Earthquake that they knew about.

[StirCrazy]

ahhh, ya I posted that from what they said on the news.

they were wrong

Steve

[Gujustud]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

According to geologists, if the Lower Mainland was hit by an earthquake 8.0 or higher, Richmond & all the Fraser River Delta lands would liquify & disappear into the water. Not a pleasant thought, eh.

Where did you read this? Most of the geologists that say this, are generally ones NOT from this area.

As its known, if there was to be a tsunami, Vancouver Island would take all the battering. The waves would not reach here, past all the islands. Water level may increase, but it would not cause richmond to disappear into the water.

[Tarolisol]

DID you hear, the force of the wave moved the entire island of sumatra 100ft

[Quinn]

From what I've read, the earthquake itself caused no damage - it was 250km out to sea. However, as said, it was felt around the world, even at a Canadian geological monitoring station in Nunavut. Apparently the first wave of a tsunami is rarely the largest, it's the ones that follow it that are the most damaging. Many of the deaths resulted from people moving toward the water to sight-see, and could have been avoided if people had actually moved inland a few kilometres.

The devastation was felt as far away as Somalia, where dozens of fishermen may have died about 5,000 kilometres away from the epicentre.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/nation...ngs041227.html

I don't think a lot of people realize how powerful water is. I had never been in the ocean until this summer and I was pretty amazed - I know if I had never been in swells before and saw a tsunami, I'd think I could somehow swim in it or hold onto a tree or something... but I guess that's a bit like thinking you can hold onto a tree in the middle of a tornado.