Topic 78 of 92: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Sun, Jul 7, 2002 (05:49) |
Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi)
A poorly known geophysical phenomena sometimes called the ultimate surfing wave.
55 responses total.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 1 of 55: Julie (cascadeclimber) * Sun, Jul 7, 2002 (16:35) * 1 lines
Hey Rob, great idea for a topic. I knew we were missing something.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 2 of 55: John Tsatsaragos (tsatsvol) * Mon, Jul 8, 2002 (02:30) * 15 lines
Very Good idea for this topic Rob. I have already the first question.
I had an unusual experience on 23 of past June. I described it in geo 31/resp. 52. I repeat it here.
I was sitting on a comfortable chair near the sea looking at the Pagasitic gulf the last breathlessness hot night. Full Moon was glass on the quiet sea. I observed something strange. The reflecting on the sea light was making beautiful games but the shape was not straight. It was a non-stable crooked shape. I had the impression that Pagasitic gulf was like a slinky dishpan. I never observed something like this.
Just yesterday I had the following additional information. A very good friend was fishing in the Pagasitic gulf the same moment. He has installed in his boat a very good electronic deep meter that has also indicator for the temperature of the seawater. He has also an expensive GPS meter. He says that were observed the following strange indications that night.
1. Deep meter was not constant. He was observing high variations of about 5 meters with a period of about 5 minutes.
2. The temperature of seawater suddenly changed from 21 C degrees to 28 C degrees.
3. GPS meter was also not constant.
4. He has no explanations since he was not realised what was happening.
I have the impression that they were very long period sea waves. Have you scientific explanation on it? Are observed similar variations in the open sea?
John
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 3 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Mon, Jul 8, 2002 (03:57) * 22 lines
Hi all
I need to explode a few myths. John, I saw you post and I have no answer. Insofar as I am aware, there is no change in sea temperature or change in water body temperature during a tsunami.
Some myths need to be exploded. There are several and I would lying if I said they do not contribute to the sometimes horrendous death tolls these phenomena create. Tsunamis are not mythical. We know about them, but not enough. This post attempts to explode a few myths about tsunamis based on research I did for one of my Geography papers last semester, but for further information, I suggest you have a look at the following book.
TSUNAMI!!! Walter Dudley and Min Lee, 1998, University of Hawaii Press 2nd Ed.
What is a tsunami?
A tsunami is a sea wave generated by a geophysical process like an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslide under the sea or on land going into the sea. It has nothing to do with the tide, except that a rising tide may allow it to go further. This is one of the more common misunderstandings.
Another is that a tsunami is one wave. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. A tsunami is a series of waves and the biggest rarely come in first. In Hilo during the 1960 tsunami from Chile (courtesy of a magnitude 9.5 earthquake)the sealevel rose 4 feet above normal just after midnight May 23, then dropped 3 feet below the norm. This was the first wave. At 12.46AM the second wave came rolling on in and was 9 feet above normal. Then all went calm... but the water level was falling even faster. It bottomed out at 1.AM 7 feet below normal, after which many on the shoreline heard a dull rumble. The third wave was coming and this was 20 feet ABOVE normal, after which Hilo and the island of Hawaii was plunged into darkness at 1.05AM. This is the most dangerous of the myths and has cost a lot of lives, because people think it is over so they go home and drown when the bigger ones come.
Tsunamis are not always waves. Sometimes they resemble fast incoming tides. This is possibly dependent on the terrain of the sea floor.
The myth that a falling water level means a tsunami is coming is true, though it may be heightened if an advancing bore is overtaken by a wave giving the wave more height.
The rules of tsunamis:
1)NEVER EVER go to the beach, or any coastal water body, especially if it has direct access to the sea. If you see the waves, the odds are good that someone will be arranging your funeral afterwards.
2)If you feel a strong earthquake and are near the coast, evacuate first and ask questions later. Your safety is paramount.
3)Evacuate on the understanding that you may be gone for several hours, so take medication etc with you and follow the rules for civil defence (ours are found at the back of the Yellow Pages phone book).
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 4 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul 8, 2002 (17:28) * 6 lines
Great topic, Rob. I had previously tucked such subjects elsewhere but this is entirely appropriate. *Hugs* for thinking of it.
Walt Dudley is a friend of mine and was instrumental in the creation of the Hilo Tsunami Museum whose webcam shows you what Hilo Bay is like 24/7 live. By all means, read his book. He has done an excellent job on it and I was both delighted and surprised to find Rob using it in New Zealand.
John, there are serious studies about sea wave anomalies. Rogue waves occur and endanger shipping in almost all seas and oceans. Tsunamis are not usually in that category, though. Since they are a direct result of seismicity, the waves are predictable. I have not heard anything to add to this such as temperature or speed changes. The phenomenon you witnessed is curious. I will pass it along to others who are better versed in such things. I still wonder if some sort of surface-breeding sea dwellers were not partially responsible.
Another thought is an opening in the sea floor and something venting into the sea. Black smokers and other volcanic vents are known to do such things. Are they unknown in your Gulf?
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 5 of 55: John Tsatsaragos (tsatsvol) * Tue, Jul 9, 2002 (03:49) * 15 lines
Hi Marcia and Rob,
Surely, I was not meaning a tsunami effect in my gulf. I just wondered if you have some experience or if you heard some similar phenomenon in your open sea. Anyway it was a good chance to learn some basics on tsunamis from your answer. Thank you Rob and Marcia. It was also a good start to discuss about tsunamis.
I had a long (almost all-night) discussion about that phenomenon in my gulf last night. I had a special visitor with PhD in naval architecture mechanics. His opinion is very interesting:
This phenomenon is common in the sea. Local upward or downward air streams are producing local uplifts or down lifts on the sea surface. So, is produced a very long period sea wave that can have significant height. These waves are appearing without any sense of wind.
Temperature changes of seawater can also follow these dummy waves (I don't know if I use the correct words in English). It is also a common phenomenon!
Black smokers and other volcanic vents are unknown into our seas. But I am thinking that a reason can be also the beginning of increase the Earth's speed around the Sun directly after solstice. My special visitor was not overruled my idea but he says that its effect exists but it is too small.
Ok I close this issue here. I am sorry Rob. I apologise for this unrelated with tsunami report.
John
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 6 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Tue, Jul 9, 2002 (04:38) * 5 lines
Hi all
Sorry John. What I meant was that I thought I should correct a couple of common misunderstandings about tsunamis from the outset. You are not in fault. I intended to say only one thing, but implied TWO things by accident. I am not sure what could have caused the phenomena you speak of, since there was no wind. If it had nothing to do with tides, then I suppose it could have been a tsunami but I cannot judge it since I was not there. But thanks anyway.
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 7 of 55: John Tsatsaragos (tsatsvol) * Tue, Jul 9, 2002 (05:10) * 5 lines
It’s OK Rob,
Discussion can have similar misunderstandings. Do not worry. We are always learning. I found your explanations very interesting since we have not tsunamis in Greece and I don’t know anything about their characteristics. Your explanations are very useful and complete.
Thank you Rob.
John
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 8 of 55: Curious Wolfie (wolf) * Tue, Jul 9, 2002 (10:59) * 1 lines
this tsunami thing is scary. i talked to a local here and she said that our area is not prime for tsunami. how can i find out for sure? do i need to research the fault lines in the sea?
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 9 of 55: Julie (cascadeclimber) * Tue, Jul 9, 2002 (13:19) * 2 lines
My geology professor explained to us about southern California's tsunami risk. The Santa Cruz-Santa Catalina Ridge Fault Zone, which may also connect to the San Diego Trough Fault Zone, is located between our coast and Catalina Island. This fault zone poses a threat to our coastline and possible as far inland as the L.A basin. Scientits have found ancient tsunami deposits all the way inland near the L.A basin. Although, there hasn't been a large quake on the fault zone for quite some time , it is capable of producing a magnitude 7.3 quake. There has been small quakes from time to time on the fault zone. But given the fact that its only about 20 miles or so offshore, if the quake is large enough we could be in serious trouble. I asked a scientist from the University of Sothern California Tsunami Research Group if we have a warning system and indeed we do. There is probably other fault lines offshore that may be a problem as well. The Pacific Northwest also has a tsunami risk mainly because they lay on a
ubduction zone. If the Mega Quake I mentioned about in Geo 70 were to occur offshore it would be catasrophic. Oregon and Washington both have dozens of signs all over the place showing tsunami evacuation routes.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 10 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 9, 2002 (15:33) * 4 lines
Julie's right. Southern California is a tsunami waiting to happen. I posted this elswhere (oceanic geo perhaps). All you need is a local landslide of some magnitude. You will not have much warning. Just run inland if you are warned. NOW not in a few minutes after you collect your belongings. RUN!!!
We face the same difficulties in Hawaii. In Kentucky we do not even get a tidal bore on the river, but since we live currently in its flood plain I am content to let it wander peacefully in the valley. I do want to see the remanat river from before the last ice age so I might see what was here before the Mississippi and Ohio rivers were more than just little streams. Not tsunami material but hydrology in any case.
John I envy your conversations with your friend. I would also share the long all-night discussions with Don. If you cannot believe how fast night can disappear during good conversation, I wish that you might find someone as eager to share information as John and I have found. In my case it is archaeology and ethnology. I am being spoiled for any furture life I am presently finding available!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 11 of 55: Curious Wolfie (wolf) * Tue, Jul 9, 2002 (16:27) * 1 lines
i've not seen any tsunami evac route signs though in northern louisiana, hurricane evac routes were posted everywhere. more than likely, a tsunami would come in from the west and i sit facing the east on the inner harbor. though i can drive north to point fermin and white's point and there i see catalina island. always thought the gigantic waves would require more distance to gain speed and strength. thanks julie!!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 12 of 55: Julie (cascadeclimber) * Wed, Jul 10, 2002 (00:31) * 5 lines
This website might be helpful to those of you who live on the west coast of the U.S. I check it every time we have a significant quake.
http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/
This is the most reccent message from the 5.9M quake located 150 miles west of Coos Bay, Oregon.
http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/message.txt
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 13 of 55: Julie (cascadeclimber) * Wed, Jul 10, 2002 (00:48) * 2 lines
I found this website that talks about the tsunami risk in the Pacific Northwest. Its basically what I have mentioned already though.
http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/tsunami/cascadia.html
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 14 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Wed, Jul 10, 2002 (07:12) * 9 lines
Hi all
Here is something to unsettle you all. Julie and Marcia have heard it but, not everyone.
The Atlantic and Caribbean coast have a tsunami risk. Both have had tsunami's in historic times and both can expect them again in the future. Take the New Foundland coast for example. It had a tsunami form after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake in 1929 sent a large landslide pouring down the Laurentian Channel into the Cabot trench displaying a lot of water VERY fast. There have also been tsunamis in the Caribbean where in November 1867 a magnitude 7.5 earthquake in the Anegada Trough between St Croix and St Thomas started a tsunami 25-30 feet high roaring into the coastal towns on both islands.
Warning tourists about tsunamis according Walter Dudley is something of a taboo for tourism business operators because they want the tourists to come back and not be scared by a tsunami. So it is said that little has been done to inform tourists - no brochures or basic information from rental car agencies and so on, little or no information about the do's and don'ts when a WARNING is issued, and unfortunately I can confirm this is true and correct. Having been to Hawaii I remember nothing about what to do and what not to do.
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 15 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul 10, 2002 (10:27) * 4 lines
Walt dudley has discovered what John has also discovered for Greece. Natural hazards which are "unpredictable" and deadly are never mentioned. Head in the sand is the usual way it is treated. It seems they would rather not know and thus not be responsible for what happens!
I do worry that Greece is both in the water and prone to earthquakes. Can uit be true that they are not susceptible to tsunamis? That seems impossible.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 16 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Thu, Jul 11, 2002 (03:03) * 5 lines
Hi all
Marcia, and others, please direct yourself to a copy of the July 2000 National Geographic. It deals with the 1999 Turkey earthquake which I deem relevant because of the Turks proximity to the islands of Greece. Turkey was rocked badly in the year of 1999 by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake on the Anatolian fault, which also runs offshore and I have reason to believe that the islands of Greece would be at risk from tsunamis in several ways. First you recall the eruption of Santorini? That generated a tsunami that accelerated the demise of the Minoan civilisation. Secondly, even if Greece is not likely to be hit by local tsunamis one should not forget tsunamis from say Italy or the Balkans (Skopje, Yugoslavia, was hit by a bad earthquake in 1963 and Udine in Italy had two in the 1980s. Finally as if all that is not enough, what about the volcanoes of the Lipari islands?
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 17 of 55: John Tsatsaragos (tsatsvol) * Thu, Jul 11, 2002 (04:55) * 18 lines
Thank you Rob,
I have to add some information about recent big EQ’s in my neighbourhood.
Turkey was rocked badly in the second half of the year of 1999 by two very strong EQ’s on the Anatolian fault:
1999 08 17 00:01:39 40.75N 29.86E 17 7.8 MsGS
1999 11 12 16:57:20 40.76N 31.16E 10 7.5 MsGS
During the first one, Anatolian plate was moved westwards almost 2 meters. A coastal Turkish hamlet at the Aegean Sea was disappeared from the face of Earth 25 meters under the water surface. About a thousand people lost there as I watch in TV these days.
During the second one, Anatolian plate was moved westwards almost 1.5 meters more.
None tsunami is observed. The same is happened with Skyros EQ on 2001 July 26th. Was M=6.4Ms with epicentre inside the Sea. A fisherman, who was fishing above the epicentre, observed the seawater boiling. He heard also a strong husky sound simultaneously. That was all.
Eventuality for tsunami in Greece exists but is very small. None talk about it in Greece. (Seismologist or not). People are completely uninformed.
John
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 18 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul 17, 2002 (17:28) * 1 lines
Your research in these events (predicting them in advance - see John's portal page research links! Their lack of informing the pulic is nothing short of mismanagement bordering on complete mistrust. It is unconscionable!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 19 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, Jul 17, 2002 (17:30) * 1 lines
I do not know what saves Greece from Tsunami, but feel happy if that is the case. I worry because that gulf you live on looks right for creating a real disaster! Hily Bay is just like it but has a wider mouth.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 20 of 55: George (Geocoast) * Fri, Jul 19, 2002 (15:18) * 6 lines
Marcia, you are right to be skeptical about Greece being safe from tsunamis. John, some of your statements in resp.17 are right and wrong at the same time! I will explain:
At the epicentral area the seismic waves come vertically up from the sea floor and produce the "boiling sea" effect. This effect may be amplified by gases escaping from the sea-floor sediments. Tsunamis start to develop appreciably at some distance from the epicenter, where the oscillation that is produced by the EQ or by the mass movement that is triggered by the EQ reaches the sea surface at an oblique angle and become dangerous when their height increases due to shoaling as they reach shallow water. So the fisherman was not expected to observe a tsunami, anyway.
Tsunamis are commonly miscalled "tidal waves". The equivalent greek term is "palirroic (=tidal) waves". These terms are misleading, since tsunamis have nothing to do with tidal forces, and during the last two or three decades scientists have agreed to replace these terms with the Japanese term "Tsunami". However, most people know tsunamis by their old name (and most of them have heard stories about the destruction of ports and coastal cities by "tidal waves"). Even some scientists are reluctant to adopt the Japanese term and prefer to use descriptive terms, such as "sea waves due to landslides".
Tsunamis are rare in Greece compared to the Pacific Ocean, but so are large EQs and significant submarine mass movements. Historically, however, greek coasts have had their fair share of tsunamis. These are described in an interesting monograph by Prof. I. Antonopoulos (1973), entitled "Tsunamis of the Eastern Mediterranean from Antiquity until Today" (in greek). There are also several scientific papers (mostly unknown to the general public) describing the effects or evidence of tsunamis on greek coasts.
Perhaps one of the best known and most destructive tsunamis in Greece is the one that followed the great eruption of the volcano of Thera (Santorini) around 1500 B.C. Most archaeologists believe that the destruction of ports and coastal cities by that tsunami was one of the primary causes of the decline of the Minoan civilization in Crete. Many archaeologists link this event to the legend of Atlantis.
So, although few people are informed about "tsunamis", most know "tidal waves" quite well!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 21 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 19, 2002 (23:48) * 3 lines
Unhappily, Hilo is past due for the next Tsunami. Many have died from thos in the past so a monthly test of the sirens warning us to flee the waterfront is held and respected. None take it for granted. Hilo Bay is perfectly formed to encourage waves from the north to build up to enormous heights before slamming ashore in sets of 4-5 waves.The first one is seldom the one doing most of the damage.
Archaeologists and geologists alike have studied the layers of Thera's past tu understand the impact on humankind in that area. I would truly love to see that part of the world. Perhaps I might add an entirely different lava sample to my collection?! Please look at it with my eyes next time you are there.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 22 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 19, 2002 (23:52) * 1 lines
I need to sleep a bit before I post more. My typing has gone astray and I do not see the errors until it is permanently part of the Internet. Forgive me!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 23 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Sat, Jul 20, 2002 (05:55) * 80 lines
Hi all
A warm wind blew across the sand spit as the two whitebaiters gathered their gear up after a day on the Wairau River catching the delicacy for a hearty meal of whitebait patties. They were seasoned fishermen who had spent much of their lives on or near the coast and they knew the untamed power of the sea was a sight to behold. Wayne packed away the nets while Derrick put the whitebait in safe storage for the journey home. Despite the great weather and glorious northwest arch framing the western horizon the two men however had another reason to be leaving: they had heard a tsunami warning be broadcast on the radio. Although neither had experienced one, they had heard terrifying stories about people vanishing during the waves. Both had family and neither was in a great rush to leave their children fatherless. They had also lived through an earthquake of quite astonishing power. After the quake both had phoned home to their families in Kaikoura see what state their houses were in. They were far enough south th
t they had no real damage. A couple loose ornaments had come of the shelf but nothing serious.
----
Wayne Jack stretched out in the deck chair he was sitting in, while watching a man approach him with two Speights and pulled another one up next to him. He nodded at Derrick Jamieson as the latter handed him one of the two cans he was carrying. Derrick sat down and pulled the tab off while admiring a brave (and stupid)driver cautiously inch his sports car over the rough gravel surface of the stopbank, before deciding to stop because the stones were too big. It was a glorious day, with a northwest arch forming overhead, and pleasantly warm temperatures on a mid October Sunday. A gentle wind blew over and the outline of a high flying jet could be made out miles above them.
"Cheers Derrick, and here's to your son getting engaged," Wayne offered an impromptu toast, remembering Derrick's eldest son David being engaged.
"Cheers. I got out of the spa and he was sitting in the lounge with his girl. They had driven all the way from Picton just to tell us that they were getting married and were planning to go into town for a drink and then on to see friends," Wayne replied. He put the can down and stood up. "Better lift the net".
Derrick nodded, and sipped on his beer while reading the newspaper. All seemed sweet. No one around, little wind and perfect weather.
Wayne came back, and sat down. "One cockabully and two bait - nothing else." He picked up another section of the paper on the ground next to him and placed it on his lap. He was about to pick the beer, when the ground seemed to sway. Wayne stopped and waited. Thinking nothing more of it he picked up the beer and took a mouthful, swished it around before swallowing. All seemed calm and well.
The calm suddenly came to an end with an almighty jolt, throwing both from their chairs. A distant rumble became a roar as the ground heaved ho and the cars shook and rattled with the shaking. Both remained frozen to the spot, in shock as the earthquake subsided not believing what had happened. It was Derrick who recovered first. He immediately went to the car and yanked open the glove box. Frantically he dialled his home number, and was to put it mildly relieved when his wife of fifteen years answered.
"So you didn't feel the earthquake?" Derrick could not quite believe his ears.
"No, we felt the earthquake but no damage was done, bar a huge clatter of soot down the chimney, and a couple ornaments come off," Lynne answered.
"Whew! We had it bad here. I was having a beer and we were thrown from the chairs we were in, so I thought you might have had it much worse. Well I might stay here since we are doing steady business with the nets. Be home tomorrow. Love you. Bye". Derrick switched it off and handed it to Wayne. Again nothing much had happened, except that Waynes wife, Robin was worried about the tsunami risk.
"Don't worry honey. We'll have the radio going to hear radio warnings, so if something is coming we will get out okay. Love you, bye." Wayne turned it off and gave the cellphone back to Derrick.
"Lets stay shall we? We can run if there is a tsunami warning issued."
"Yeah, okay," Derrick replied. So, after turning the radio on for updates (unaware the radio station was a wreck), they went back to the whitebaiting.
Constable Jacqueline Harris was just finishing a coffee in the Blenheim police station when the building shook massively. Knowing it was an earthquake, she dived for cover and yelled to the Civil Defence officer in the Police Emergency room nextdoor to put out an alert. Beams creaked and groaned, but the building remained upright. The shock was just wearing off when a siren sounded.
Jeez!! That was quick, Constable Harris thought as she hauled herself to her feet and surveyed the damage. Cracked walls and bits of plaster missing from the ceiling, but for an earthquake of that intensity it had done well.
"Constable!! Constable Harris, would you and Constable Rob Michaels activate a Civil Defence alert and tell the District council it's being co-ordinated from the Police station," a burly man called from an adjacent room.
Under the sea, in the Hikurangi Trench something sinister was happening. A landslide of massive proportions was sliding down the canyon side and into the Trench with impossible speed. On the surface no one noticed, but a monstrous tsunami had just been tripped. It would storm ashore not more than a half hour after it was tripped.
Across Cook Strait in Wellington chaos reigned. The Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences in nearby Lower Hutt had not only felt the earthquake, but a staff member had reported strange water fluctuations in the Hutt River. Seiches. That had started alarm bells ringing and with good reason, for unbeknownst but suspected anyway, a landslide in the Hikurangi trench had just displaced a huge mass of water. It was 2.38PM and a tsunami was about to start.
They had plotted the location of the earthquake and the answer was not what anyone wanted to hear, but downed phone lines meant it was difficult to get the message out.
Still the Police in Blenheim had a sixth sense in Constable Harris. As she talked to the Civil Defence officials she remembered that an offshore earthquake could start a tsunami. Her blood went cold and her face went pale. She however quickly composed herself and called Constable Michaels.
"Rob. A tsunami may have been generated. I cannot do anything myself but I suggest you and another officer go the coast and clear the beaches. Take a microphone or get a helicopter and broadcast the warnings from the air. I will keep you informed and also get a chopper organised. Go to Woodbourne."
The dark haired man next to her nodded and waved a third officer over. After a minutes discussion, they grabbed their caps and ran out the door. On the road they had to negotiate fallen power poles and on more than one occasion go onto the footpath.
Outside the city things were in better shape. As the two officers approached Woodbourne Airforce Base, another aftershock set in. They pulled over and waited it out, before continuing. The base had some damage to buildings and people were running about checking installations and equipment for damage. They pulled up near the Enquiries office.
Back at the police station, a call for Constable Harris came. A tsunami warning was in force. Could she get the beaches and other coastal water bodies evacuated? She said she would do her best.
Just before they got out of the car, Constable Harris called them to confirm the tsunami. Would they now evacuate everyone? In the air, they saw that there were several fires burning in Blenheim and damaged buildings were everywhere. The pilot swooped the helicopter in low over the coast as Constable Michaels began broadcasting a warning:
ATTENTION PEOPLE ON THE BEACH: A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN FORCE. YOU ARE VERY STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO EVACUATE THE COASTLINE AND ALL COASTAL WATERBODIES IMMEDIATELY. REPEAT: A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN FORCE YOU ARE VERY STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO EVACUATE THE COASTLINE AND ALL COASTAL WATER BODIES IMMEDIATELY.
Derrick and Wayne were busy checking their nets for whitebait, having had some success and thoroughly encouraged by the results they were getting, were looking to set up where there was still some current. The tide was rising and the sun was starting to set in the west but the weather remained brilliantly warm and sunny. Wayne was just putting his net back in the water when he heard a dull thud, thud, thud, of an approaching helicopter. Looking up, he was quite surprised to see one flying at tree top height before him, and as it approached, he noticed a man with a bullhorn.
ATTENTION PEOPLE ON THE BEACH: A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN FORCE. YOU ARE VERY STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO EVACUATE THE COASTLINE AND ALL COASTAL WATERBODIES IMMEDIATELY. REPEAT: A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN FORCE YOU ARE VERY STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO EVACUATE THE COASTLINE AND ALL COASTAL WATER BODIES IMMEDIATELY.
As the chopper flew over the officer made a motion with his arms signalling them to move. Derrick saw it and nodded at the officer.
"Wayne! We have to move. There is a tsunami coming. We need to get out of here."
Derrick ran downstream toward Wayne. He knew that minutes might count because they did not know where the tsunami was coming from. It was time to move.
The helicopter flew low over a bunch of surprised fishermen and a family with young children and broadcast the same warning. The fishermen began to pack up, but the family (a group of tourists)stayed. They did not know what was happening, though they had felt the earthquake strongly. None of them knew about the danger that was speeding towards them at the impressive speed of 460 miles per hour. But they soon would.
----
Wayne had just placed the nets in the boot of the Toyota Landcruiser when Derrick shouted:
"The water is retreating in mid tide. We have to run for it!!"
Wayne ran down to the river. Sure enough despite being an hour from high tide, the water was steadily retreating. The first wave was only a few minutes away.
They forgot about packing the rest of their gear and just threw it in the back of the vehicle, before retreating from the riverbed as fast as they dared on the stopbank.
A few minutes later the first wave washed up the river. It submerged the spot where Wayne and Derrick had been just minutes before in 6 inches of water. Within minutes it was retreating again....
Downstream Amelia and her husband John were playing with their three year old son Tim and their six year old daughter Kate. Being tourists, the last thing that was on their mind was how the sea could be a threat to them, a full kilometre from the mouth of the Wairau River. They were about to get a painful crash course in tsunamis. Amelia and John were building sand castles with their backs to the river when water suddenly began pouring over the sand castles and around their legs. At first they thought a jet boat had gone past, but there had been no noise. Jack began to cry. His sandcastle was a mess and the water had wrenched the plastic spade in his hand from him. They were just starting to rebuild the castles when a car pulled up. It was Derrick and Wayne. They had seen the family on the river bed from the stopbanks.
"Excuse me!!! You are in danger from the tsunami. The big wave that came was the start of a tsunami. The next waves will be bigger."
John came up to the van. "I am sorry but I don't know what this is all about."
"Did you feel the earthquake?" Wayne asked.
"Yes."
"Well it has started a dangerous phenomena called a tsunami. The helicopter warning was the police trying to clear the coast incase people got killed. These are dangerous waves, and if you stay you are almost certainly going to get hurt."
"It was just a wave," John replied.
"Please listen. A tsunami is more than one wave. And the latter waves are almost always bigger..." Derrick trailed as a dull rumble reached his ears. In his rear vision mirror he could see another surge of water rushing up the river, a full 5 feet high (9 feet near the coast).
"LETS GO!!!! Be back" Wayne shouted as Derrick accelerated away down the road. John turned and saw the broken crest sweeping toward them. It collided with their rented Toyota Corolla with impossible force rolling it over and pushing it against the stopbank, albeit upright. Barely avoiding Amelia, Jack and Kate it swept on up the river for another kilometre, killing several sheep who had strayed from an adjacent paddock.
As soon as the wave subsided John and Amelia scoped up the kids and piled them into the car. John tried to start the engine but got no response. Then he saw Derrick and Wayne returning. What the.. they must be mad, he thought.
Derrick pulled up near them, "You better come with us, cause this may not be the worst," he called out. "Get in."
After seeing what a tsunami could do the family was only too happy to pile in.
A glance back, showed the water already retreating again. The next wave was not far away and when it came it would give them the fright of their lives.
As Derrick drove away, the third wave was starting to form into monstrous dimensions offshore. The previous two had battered down the sand dunes protecting low lying farmland behind them, and now a third wave was set to pour through the gashes in the natural defences.
He was about to turn onto the soon to be appropriately named Watery Road, when another rumble reached his ears. Turning around he saw a mass of foaming water pouring through the breached sand dunes 1.5km away. It swept across farmland and through a couple holiday homes, clean bowling them of the foundations. As he watched in fascination Amelia suddenly noticed the wave cresting over the stopbanks a couple hundred metres behind them.
"RUN!!!! RUN FOR IT" She screamed. Derrick took one look and stepped on the gas pedal accelerating at speed away from the intersection as bits of trees, houses and other debris swept over the stopbanks and onto the road.
Tim and Kate were crying. Their holiday was in ruins, and now the Mason family had no transport, for when the Toyota was found, it was a write off. In a few terrifying minutes the tsunami had gone from a nuisance to a nightmare that was imprinted on the minds of them all.
In the aftermath of the tsunami several families were made homeless and property damage in the order of $1,000,000 had been reported. Wayne and Derrick took the Masons back to their motel, had dinner with them and helped sort out a rental car for the remainder of their holidays. The Masons were overwhelmed by the generosity and invited both to visit them in Minnesota. Tim and Kate had counselling for nightmares suffered from the experience of dealing with one of natures least known dangers, for the trauma had been imprinted in their memories for eternity. But they were grateful in every sense of the word; grateful for being alive, for Derrick and Wayne's help and for the generosity of the rental car company in allowing them another car to use.
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 24 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Sat, Jul 20, 2002 (11:32) * 1 lines
The older generation in Hilo has similar stories to tell of the 1960 and 1946 Tsunamis which devastated much of old downtown Hilo and took out the railroad tracks, permanently. Thanks for the narrative. That is not a thing to be talken lightly!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 25 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Sun, Aug 18, 2002 (21:23) * 46 lines
Japan faces tidal wave threat
Scientists in Japan have discovered a fault in
the seabed off the country's coast with the
potential to unleash a giant "tsunami" tidal
wave.
The newly-detected fault lies
off the south-eastern coast
of Japan and may have been
responsible for the
magnitude 8.1 earthquake
which struck the country in
1944, they say.
Jin-Oh Park and his
colleagues at Jamstec,
the Japan Marine
Science and Technology Center, say that an
earthquake along the fault would threaten
cities along the Japanese coast.
The fault is close enough to the Japanese
coast for there to be only minutes between a
substantial earthquake along it and the
tsunami reaching land.
Uncharted sea bed
The fault, which lies close to where the
Philippine Sea plate is sinking beneath the
Eurasian plate, is only dozens of kilometres
away from land.
"Any tsunami would hit the mainland with only
a few minutes' warning," explained Bill McGuire,
director of the UK's Benfield Greig Hazard
Research Centre.
"Most people in Japan live
along the coast and
evacuating them in only a
few minutes would be
impossible," he said.
more... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2195871.stm
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 26 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Sun, Nov 24, 2002 (02:24) * 11 lines
Hi all
If I had to produce a movie, I would do mine on tsunamis. Tsunamis are not mysterious, and we know about the processes that drive them, how they work and so on. But yet they can kill thousands of people, thousands of kilometres from the source.
My pick for tsunami would be a realistic one and that means I would was an actual event rather than making one up. With that in mind my first choice would be the May 22 1960 Chilean tsunami. It was a Pacific-wide event that was experienced in New Zealand, Chile, Japan, Hawaii, French Polynesia, and Easter Island.
The tsunami was generated by an exceptionally massive earthquake, now thought to have registered a colossal magnitude 9.5. The earthquake was the third of three which started a chain reaction as the shaking spread across the sea floor.
It is thought that the trouble started the day before the main event, when a magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred. A tsunami watch was issued, but cancelled a few hours after the expected arrival time of any waves. But the Chilean Navy decided to keep a permanent watch on a tidal gauge at Valapiroso. Their prudence was justified. The following day the ground shook again, but barely had this second magnitude 7.5 event started when an even bigger event started offshore. It lasted about 7 minutes and clocked in at 9.5. Unto this day, it is the biggest earthquake known to man. The tsunami generated devastated the Chilean coast killing more than 2000 people. Spreading at break neck speed across the Pacific, it hammered Hilo in Hawaii between 12.30AM and 1.05 when the biggest wave stormed ashore, killing 60 people. From there it moved west toward Japan and killed 140 people along the eastern seaboard. In New Zealand it disrupted shipping movements in and out of Lyttelton Harbour for 8 hours.
I have even worked out my opening shot. It would be shot on a beach with a short blurb, like the one seen at the start of Tora! Tora! Tora! The blurb would read something like this: "On May 23, 1960 an earthquake in Chile started a tsunami that was experienced all over the Pacific basin."
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 27 of 55: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Nov 24, 2002 (07:01) * 21 lines
I found a real good introductory page on tsunamis at
http://www.geophys.washington.edu/tsunami/intro.html
This recalls the conversation we had about the Patrick Swayze/Lori Petty movie Point Break about the wave of the century in Australia. How does the tsunami you describe in 1960 compare to the 1975 Hawaii tsunami?
Listing from the above website of great tsunamis:
1929 Grand Banks, Canada
1946 Aleutian Islands, Alaska
1952 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
1957 Aleutian Islands, Alaska
1960 Chile
1964 Prince Williams Sound, Alaska
1975 Hawaii
with detail of the 1960 event:
http://www.geophys.washington.edu/tsunami/general/historic/chilean60.html
Damage estimates were half a billion dollars.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 28 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Tue, Nov 26, 2002 (00:38) * 7 lines
Hi all
The 1975 tsunami was locally generated, and did not come from the other side of the equator, in that the geophysical force driving it originated off the Hawaiian coast. Because of this there were only minutes of warning as opposed to hours for the 1960 Chilean tsunami. The 1960 tsunami was a Pacific-wide event in that it was experienced in Japan, Hawaii, New Zealand, the West Coast of the US, and at East Island. Insofar as I am aware, there was no damage outside of Hawaii in the 1975 event.
Both were generated by earthquakes, with the 1960 earthquake being the largest earthquake known to mankind - registering a colossal magnitude 9.5 on the open ended richter scale (be careful of using the Richter scale as such because although it is bandied around in the media, different scales are applied for different earthquakes. An example is the moment magnitude which is generally used for earthquakes with magnitudes of above 6.0).
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 29 of 55: Curious Wolfie (wolf) * Wed, Nov 27, 2002 (21:52) * 1 lines
wasn't there a movie about an asteroid that produced a tsunami? what the heck was the name of that one? it had tea' leone in it.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 30 of 55: Julie (cascadeclimber) * Wed, Nov 27, 2002 (22:20) * 1 lines
Deep Impact I think is the one your talking about, Wolfie.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 31 of 55: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Nov 28, 2002 (07:51) * 3 lines
That was a great movie, it came out at the same time the Bruce Willis asteroid movie came out.
Armageddon.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 32 of 55: Curious Wolfie (wolf) * Thu, Nov 28, 2002 (11:54) * 1 lines
yeah, it seems there was a rash of films about the same subject....haven't seen armageddon yet though...
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 33 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Sat, Nov 30, 2002 (04:35) * 6 lines
Hi all
Which is why I am putting this effort in for tsunami's. I would like to see the waves impact reduced by better coastal planning for these things and their effects. Hawaii has evacuation routes marked by road signs, and a siren system that is used to warn the islands of incoming tsunami's. This is all well and fine, but it is only useful if the tsunami is coming from a foreign location like Chile or Alaska and not from just offshore. If it is coming from just offshore, and you are in a coastal area, then the minute you feel an earthquake RUN, DAMMIT RUN!!!!! Run for the high ground and be prepared to stay there for several hours. Tsunamis are not single waves and the first is rarely the biggest. On May 23 in Hilo, during the 1960 tsunami three waves arrived over the period and ran like this: First wave crested at 12.30AM at 4 feet above normal, and then dropped 3 below normal. The second wave came at 12.46AM and was an ominous 9 feet above normal. The water then retreated to a level 7 feet below normal at 1.
0AM. Note the time. At 1.02AM there was a roar. An indescribable roar that everyone could hear coming through the night. At 1.04 a searchlight beam caught the 20 foot vertical wave relentlessly rolling forward into Hilo Harbour. At 1.05AM Hilo, and most of the island of Hawaii was plunged into darkness after the wave propagated upstream as a dangerous surge. 61 people died.
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 34 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Tue, Dec 10, 2002 (20:41) * 1 lines
How well I remember the 1975 earthquake. I do not need to experience another 7.2 earthquake for me to respect how deadly the earth's mechanics can be. The resulting tsunami took Hilo's most skilled surgeon's life. He was at Halape with a troop of boy scouts. One of them also died. Several were heroes by saving the lives of their fellow scouts. Now, the once beautiful Halape is under water(the land block on which it sits dropped several feet) and the beautiful Kalapana was subjected to flooding by the sea before lava covered it. You can't write fiction like this!!!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 35 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Tue, Jul 8, 2003 (06:51) * 5 lines
Hi all
T S U N A M I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 36 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Tue, Jul 8, 2003 (06:53) * 1 lines
just kidding.... unless it is the tsunami of words sentences paragraphs and pages that I am considering doing as a thesis on the aforementioned, when I get my degree....
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 37 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Tue, Jul 8, 2003 (07:16) * 7 lines
Seriously people. I have this notion of doing a Masters degree, with the thesis being probably on tsunamis. There are a few options I think I could choose from in pursuing the angle of thesis, because I am interested to some extent in all issues dealing with tsunamis.
But at this early stage, while I am still finishing my undergrad degree I am thinking of doing a Masters in tsunamis.
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 38 of 55: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, Jul 8, 2003 (09:31) * 2 lines
I hope you can do this and take us all along on the ride. How exciting!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 39 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 8, 2003 (16:26) * 3 lines
Rob!!! you are as bad a shouting "fire!" in a crowded theater. One does not shout Tsunami, either. Until I am well settled in KY, there will still be a worry deep inside me. But, now the sirens will indicate a tornado warning. *sigh*
Go for it, Rob!! That would be fantastic!!!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 40 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Tue, Jul 8, 2003 (16:27) * 1 lines
You aren't planning to surf them, are you? The crazies out here do!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 41 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Wed, Jul 9, 2003 (03:38) * 11 lines
Hi all
First off, I would never knowingly yell "TSUNAMI!!" in a public place for that very reason. I only did it here because it would not have been of consequence.
Secondly, I do not surf and even if I did I would prefer to go to Godley Heads with its 200 metre high basalt cliffs for the sea to pound against if I was to watch a tsunami come in. Godley Heads can be accessed safely from inland and if you follow the Summit Road around the Port Hills to the Sign of the Takahe, then you can come and go as you please with out fear of inundation.
To check for US tsunamis and tsunami alerts, however you can go here:
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 42 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 10, 2003 (20:02) * 3 lines
My tsunami alerts come as email from my son. The mountain (of water) is coming to Mohmammad in this case.
Your viewing platform sounds ideal. I agree high cliffs are the only place to watch them.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 43 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Thu, Jul 10, 2003 (20:03) * 1 lines
Of course, Walt Dudley teaches a few blocks down the road. I could get it first hand :)
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 44 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Fri, Jul 11, 2003 (04:33) * 6 lines
Hi all
The NZ Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences ( http://www.gns.cri.nz ) and the National Institute of Water and Atmospherics( http://www.niwa.cri.nz )
have this website for those interested in the New Zealand tsunami hazard. The two institutes have collaborated on a national centre for natural hazards, that deals with storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, floods etc. You can find their collaborative effort here: http://www.naturalhazards.net.nz
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 45 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 11, 2003 (16:18) * 1 lines
Thanks for the links! How is your Yahoo group doing?
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 46 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Sat, Jul 12, 2003 (03:27) * 20 lines
Hi all
Good thanks.
I have three:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/worldvolcanism
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/worldearthquakes
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tsunami_warning
Tsunami's do not entirely fit into both groups so I thought "what the hell. I'll create one for it as well". Tsunami's are a combination of geophysics, plate tectonics, oceanography and to some extent geography.
Geophysics - the geophysical mechanisms that led to the wave - i.e the displacement of the water.
Plate Tectonics - the process leading to the mechanisms
Oceanography - the waves as they behave in the ocean: oceanography accounts for it
Geography or rather Physical Geography - the interaction of the wave coming ashore, with cultural and natural features (buildings, shore etc)
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 47 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Wed, Jul 23, 2003 (05:47) * 9 lines
Hi all
"Rob!!! you are as bad a shouting "fire!" in a crowded theater. One does not shout Tsunami, either. Until I am well settled in KY, there will still be a worry deep inside me. But, now the sirens will indicate a tornado warning. *sigh*"
Sirens have their purpose. Are most of the warning sirens used in the US old WW2 air raid sirens that have been found another use? Rural fire stations in New Zealand, and those in small-moderate size towns use their sirens to let people know that there is a fire so that the volunteer fire brigade can get to the station.
These sirens are haunting as hell to hear sound, but I think that it would be a good way to get people moving.
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 48 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 25, 2003 (00:28) * 1 lines
Can you imagine what being wakened at night by one of those knowing bombs would shortly ruin your street, house and possible kill you? How terrifying! I know a few people who have Post Traumatic Stress from WW2 bombings. They still overly react to hearing a siren - even one in a movie!
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 49 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jul 25, 2003 (00:29) * 1 lines
BTW, sirens like the old time ones are what are used in Hawaii (though state of the art, they still sound the same) and in Kentucky. No matter what the reason it sounds, I run for where I should be and my heart pounds uncontrollably.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 50 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Sun, Jul 27, 2003 (06:36) * 5 lines
Hi all
Warning sirens however would not stop a near field tsunami from causing a disaster simply because by the time the warnings were sounded, the waves would have been and gone. This problem is real in Hawaii - the 1975 disaster where the waves demolished that school are a case in point of a near field tsunami.
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 51 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Sun, Jul 27, 2003 (10:30) * 3 lines
Near field Tsunami took the life of one of Hilo's best surgeons in the 70's. We know that all too well. Tjis was the 1975 quake because I was there !
The tsunami that took out Laupahoehoe School, students and teachers was caused by a 1946 Earthquake in the Aleutians.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 52 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Mon, Jul 28, 2003 (03:29) * 5 lines
Kia Ora
That tsunami forms the basis of Chapter 1 in Walter Dudley and Min Lee's 1998 edition of TSUNAMI! It generated waves that killed over 100 people in downtown Hilo who had no idea what was happening because the PTWC did not exist then. Despite there being an impressive record of tsunami's in the islands, the islanders were still caught unawares when the sea started doing strange things like leaving hundreds of fish high and dry as it retreated.
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 53 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Mon, Jul 28, 2003 (11:02) * 1 lines
Rob, Hilo has become complacent. A generation or two has grown up since the last tsunami, and even though we know history and have very good warning systems, and we elected to allow forceable evacuation of those who were in the danger zone, they will have many who sneak in and try to surf, fish or photograph. They will die just as the people before them did. All we can hope worldwide is to warn people. Their lives ultimately depend on the use of this information.
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 54 of 55: Rob Glennie (AotearoaKiwi) * Mon, Aug 11, 2003 (02:56) * 12 lines
Hi all
How ironic.
In 1755 Lisbon, Portugal was rocked by a massive earthquake that measured at least magnitude 8.4 (not sure what scale was applied to get the figure).
The earthquake was deadly, and kille 50,000 people in the city which was devastated not only by the earthquake but by a disastrous tsunami in it's wake.
Within minutes of the earthquake occurring the sea was on the way out (that famous drawing of the water front with big waves racing into the harbour of a city on fire is of the Lisbon shake). A French composer wrote a rather lengthy poem about the disaster, which should serve to remind Europe that Italy, former Yugoslavia and Greece are not the only places in Europe to be rocked by earthquakes.
But this is ironic. The towns churches were demolished and most of the nuns and priests killed outright - the wooden bordellos and prostitutes survived...
Rob
Topic 78 of 92 [Geo]: TSUNAMI!!!! The Great wave - the deadly wave
Response 55 of 55: Marcia (MarciaH) * Thu, Sep 4, 2003 (10:54) * 1 lines
Wooden structures flex and survive. European-style stone and mortar structures are the worst hit. Invariably! Maybe the churches should make a few notes before rebuilding!
Geo conference 
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