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| Tuesday, 28 December 2004 |
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'Lanka must join tsunami warning network' by Chandani Jayatilleke Sri Lankan authorities should take immediate measures to negotiate with the countries in the Pacific region to join the 'Pacific tsunami warning system network' in an effort to minimise any future earthquake disasters, Head, Geological Department, University of Peradeniya, Prof. Kapila Dahanayake said. A connection with such a tsunami warning system would help warn the people in prone areas at an early stage, thereby minimising the havoc and deaths caused by an earthquake.
The Sunday's earthquake struck under the Indian Ocean off western Indonesia killed thousands in at least seven countries in southern and southeastern Asia including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India and Thailand. The 9.0 magnitude quake was the worst in the world for 40 years. It generated a wall of water that sped across thousands of kilometres of sea. Earlier readings by the US Geological Survey had given a magnitude of 8.9 for the quake but this was raised after further tests. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the countries devastated by huge waves do not possess tsunami warning capability. "There may be some local ones, but it's not into a big network that the USGS is aware about," according to the USGS. The USGS supports the tsunami warning system in the Pacific. But this earthquake was not in the Pacific Ocean. The USGS said creating a tsunami warning system for the region would be a challenge as it has to cross so many countries and so many boundaries in this part of the world and the warning system would have to be so geographically diverse. Referring to Sri Lanka's situation, Prof Dahanayake said it is important to educate people to what the warning means, what they have to do in an emergency. "All this time, this region has not seen many disastrous earthquakes; since there was no need to give prior warnings. Now the situation is different. The worst has happened in this part of the world. Therefore, it is necessary, if not it is an urgent need to join the tsunami warning network at the earliest," Prof. Dahanayake said. Since the Sunday's devastation, there had been many other aftershocks, which had a magnitude of 8.9, including some registering over 6.0 and 7.0 on the Richter scale. "But, nobody can say when would the next earthquake occurs. It could be in one day, one week, one year or in 100 years time. Therefore, we need to be aware of these situations and educate people on such dangers," he said. One way to avoid a disaster would be to be on a high elevation or an upstair building. The future coastal line housing could be built as upstair houses, he added. Prof. Dahanayake together with several other geologists last week expressed their concern over possible dangers following recent incidents of tremors. Although Sri Lanka was known as an earthquake free island, there had been an increase in the number of tremors that occurred during the past few years. The latest was the tremor occurred on December 19 in several areas from the Negombo coastal line to Warakapola in the interiors. In 1614 Sri Lanka suffered an earthquake that killed 2,000 people and during the past 400 years there has been over 60 earthquakes of different intensity, Prof.Dahanayake said. According to reports more than 18,000 people have died as of yesterday after this massive underwater earthquake sent giant waves crashing into coastlines across southern Asia. Sri Lanka is the worst hit country. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga declared a national disaster and the military has been deployed to help rescue efforts. According to US Geological Survey: "These big earthquakes, when they occur in shallow water... basically slosh the ocean floor... and it's as if you're rocking water in the bathtub and that wave can travel throughout the ocean." Experts say tsunamis generated by earthquakes can travel at up to 500km/h. |
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