Tsunamis are a real threat
After a major earthquake in any part of the world tsunamis are proving to be a major threat as over the years lakhs of lives have been lost to the killer tsunami waves in the aftermath of the earthquakes.
On Wednesday one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded at Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka coast sent a tsunami crashing into a Russian port and smaller waves barrelling across the Pacific to the Americas and south to New Zealand.
The 8.8 magnitude quake, which was centred off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East did not cause devastation to the level it was expected to, and even tsunami warnings were cancelled in most areas.
Chile, however, raised its warning to the highest level early Wednesday for most of its lengthy Pacific coast and started evacuating hundreds of people.
Notably, tsunamis are waves triggered by earthquakes, underwater volcanic eruptions and submarine landslides. After an underwater earthquake, the shaking of the seafloor moves water. The energy from these transfers to waves causing huge damages.
In 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia caused waves that levelled remote villages, ports and tourist resorts along the Indian Ocean across Southeast and South Asia.
Nearly 230,000 people died. A 9.1 magnitude quake and tsunami ravaged parts of Japan’s northeastern coast on March 11, 2011, killing about 20,000 people and triggering a nuclear meltdown.
Importantly, it can take minutes for waves to hit land next to the site of a major quake. It could take hours for tsunamis to cross the Pacific Ocean. The speed of tsunami waves also depends on ocean depth. They travel faster over deep water and slowdown in shallow water.
While it’s difficult to completely prevent tsunamis, there are measures that can be taken to reduce the impact as early warning systems can play their role in minimising the impact of tsunamis.
Since India’s coastline stretches for approximately 11,098.81 kilometers, it spreads from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Karnataka, Goa, Lakshadweep Islands, – Daman & Diu to Puducherry, lot of caution needs to be adopted to minimise any danger to these areas in case of tsunamis hitting the area.
Measures like careful planning and zoning of coastal areas can help reduce the risk of damage and loss of life, besides, sea walls and coastal defenses can also help protect against tsunami waves.
Ironically, tsunamis cannot be completely prevented, a combination of early warning systems, mitigation measures, and research can help reduce the impact of these natural disasters.
