The tsunami that struck South Asia on 26th December caused waves to rise to a height of 9 metres at some places and was undoubtedly one of the most devastating tsunamis in recent history. The earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale struck at 6.58 a.m and is believed to have led to a sequence of 15 quakes across Andaman and Nicobar islands. It is believed to be the fourth most destructive tsunami in history. The basic mechanism behind tsunamis is the displacement of a large volume of water, which also displaces the sea floor. Just as in the case of earthquakes on land, tsunamis are dictated by plate tectonics. A displacement of the tectonic plates will always generate a wave at the surface of the ocean - known as tsunami. In the present case, the tectonic plates are estimated to have been displaced by as much as 30 metres.


Image courtesy: New York Times online

Actually, a tsunami is not a single wave, but a series of waves and is therefore, sometimes called a ‘wave train’. In the case of the tsunami that struck on December 26, 2004 too, there were three waves, which struck at an interval of approximately 20 minutes. Usually, the first tsunami wave is the least destructive too, as is corroborated by survivors of tsunami waves in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Tsunami waves can cross entire oceans without losing their intensity and energy and can rattle up speeds upto 800 km per hour. Survivors of tsunamis say that the sound of a gushing tsunami is quite similar to that of a freight train. Tsunamis, as is by now widely known, are ‘harbour waves’. The word is essentially made up of two Japanese words - ‘tsu’, meaning harbour and ‘nami’ meaning waves. Though tsunamis were generally considered to be a Pacific phenomenon, the tsunami that struck on December 26, 2004, has proved that natural phenomena cannot be restricted to a single area or region. Tsunamis have often erroneously been termed as ‘tidal waves’. The reason behind is the fact that tsunamis can be caused even by disturbances other than seismic, such as landslides taking place under the water, meteoric disturbances and also of human activity.

Tsunamis can be generated by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, nuclear explosions and major landslides or even by the impact of meteorites. Earthquakes occurring on the ocean floor, measuring more than 6-6.5 on the Richter scale, usually cause tsunamis. Interestingly, an earthquake is in itself the first natural warning of an impending tsunami. However, tsunamis themselves are determined not by the magnitude of the earthquake, but by the type of fault through which the earthquake is generated.


Harbour waves 'Tsunami'
Image courtesy: ABC news online

Is tsunami prediction really possible?
This really is million-dollar question, as of today. Though tsunamis do follow a certain pattern, it is not uniform for all regions and areas. As the epicenters of most of the tsunamigenic earthquakes take place deep below in the oceans, an accurate measurement of its geophysical and geochemical precursors, which could act as a warning for an impending tsunami, is a difficult and indeed a far-fetched proposition, given the technology existing as of today.

If proper parameters of historic tsunami determinism are drawn up, it is possible to predict a reasonable time frame for the recurrence of a tsunami. However, even then, given the fact that earthquakes on lands too can be predicted only with a reasonable degree of accuracy, accurate prediction of a tsunami is still some distance away. Of course, the loss of life and property can be minimised.

To accurately predict a tsunami, various parameters of the source of the tsunami have to be drawn up in ‘real time’. The time lag between the prediction of a tsunami based on a study of these parameters would effectively leave very little time to act on the warning of an impending tsunami. Seismic parameters - viz the earthquake’s magnitude, the depth of the water, parameters of the fault line, besides a host of other factors like data connected to the sea level have to be taken into account.

Tsunamis have been a rare occurrence in the Indian Ocean, as the seismic activity is relatively lesser than in the Pacific Ocean. There have been only seven instances of earthquake-triggered tsunamis near Indonesia, Pakistan and one in the Bay of Bengal in the last 100 years.

It is in this context that the demand for aligning with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) based in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, has to be understood in the proper context. Though it has been pointed out by the national and international media that the colossal damage inflicted on India as a result of tsunami could have been avoided, had India joined the PTWC, what is being ignored is the fact that Thailand and Indonesia, two of the other nations which were devastated by the tsunami are signatories to the PTWC. Despite a three-hour warning of the impending tsunami, the fate of Thailand and Indonesia is equally bad, if not worse than that of India. Surprisingly, there has been little or no talk of ‘Project Thrust’ - a low cost and a reliable regional programme aimed at those countries that have inadequate or an absence of PTWC.

Moreover, what holds good for the Pacific Ocean system may not necessarily hold good for the Indian Ocean. Researchers at the ‘Laboratoire de Geosciences Marines and Centre de Recherches Petrogaphiques et Geochemiques’ have reported that the earth’s mantle in the Indian Ocean is entirely different in its chemical composition from that of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The mantle of the Indian Ocean is characterized by a lack of titanium. Titanium is highly resistant to heat with a melting temperature as high as 1668°C. Its melting point is higher than that of steel. Deep inside the Earth, the high temperatures in mantle cause convective currents. However, with the help of latest dredging methods, researchers have found that the temperatures below the earth under the Indian Ocean ridge are the coldest, with the temperature being around 1,200°C and the hottest being about 1,460°C. Hence, while undertaking any study to forecast earthquakes, or tsunamis, such changes have to be accounted for in the chemical composition of the mantle beneath the Indian Ocean.

What should be understood thoroughly is that our knowledge about the secrets of nature is still woefully inadequate. Modern technology can never fight with nature. The emphasis has to be on co-existing with nature. Nature has its own ways and for it, human existence, or the lack of it, does not have any implication for the nature. For, nature has existed much before mankind made its first appearance on this planet and would continue to exist long after mankind is wiped out from the face of this planet. This is an essential difference between the Occidental and Western philosophy and style of thinking too - West propagates its technology for commercial benefit and the technology is aimed at competing and equating with nature, whereas the Indian philosophy has always stood for harmonious co-existence with nature, as exemplified by concepts such as ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’ and ‘Shanti Paath’.

Asian tragedy: Confusion compounded by media?
These days when information travels at the speed of light, the impact of any event, or tragedy increases manifold due to latest


Jetties damaged in Tsunami in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Image courtesy: PTI

Tsunami Warning Centres The Richard H. Hagemeyer Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, serves as the national/international warning center for tsunamis that pose a Pacific-wide threat. This international warning effort became a formal arrangement in 1965. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System (PTWS) is composed of 26 international Member States that are organized as the International Coordination Group for the Tsunami Warning System in the Pacific. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service also operates two tsunami-warning centers. The Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (ATWC) in Palmer, Alaska, serves as the regional Tsunami Warning Center for Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California.

The function of PTWS is to monitor seismological and tidal stations throughout the Pacific Basin to evaluate potentially tsunamigenic earthquakes and disseminating tsunami warning information. To accomplish this, it continuously receives seismographic data from more than 150 stations around the Pacific through cooperative data exchanges and sea level data from more than 100 stations. The Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) Project developed by NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) and operated by NOAA’s National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) is an ongoing effort to maintain and improve the capability for the early detection and real-time reporting of tsunamis in the open ocean. PMEL has at present seven DART buoys which are in operation in the northern and eastern Pacific and available for use by the tsunami warning centers.

Soruce: The Times of India

communication tools and devices at the disposal of the media. However, it also behoves the media to act responsibly and with restraint in the event of such a monumental tragedy in the history. However, the media has shown itself in poor light in the wake of the December 26 tsunami tragedy.

When 9/11 happened, American authorities did not allow even a single dead body, or a single droplet of blood to be beamed on television. Contrast this with the photographs and visuals of rows of dead bodies piled up in the wake of the tsunami tragedy in our national media. The media then went on to howl about the damage to the Kalpakkam nuclear reactor. Though the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) website had posted a release on December 26 itself that the Kalpakkam reactor was safe, no newspaper or channel bothered to check with the DAE website and was assured only when the National Security Advisor, Shri J.N. Dixit and Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, Dr. Anil Kakodkar briefed the mediapersons. Our media seems to believe in the adage - ‘the proof of the pudding is in eating’.

Again, our channels and newspapers cried hoarse about the extinction of the native tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands like Onges, Sentinelese, and Jarawas, only to eat back their words a couple of days later, saying that the tribals were safe and had survived by ‘instinct’.

Even on the controversy over the ‘alert’ issued by the Home Ministry was blown out of proportions. The ‘alert’ was actually put out by a US agency and was picked up from the Internet by Government agencies. Though it is true that the ‘alert’ should have been issued only after careful deliberations, it was actually precautionary in nature. The Western media is taking delight in creating confusion even in this hour of grief and our media is willy-nilly adding fuel to the fire.

The Western media has also been spreading all sorts of canards about December 26 tsunami and has been in fact getting vicarious pleasures from it. It was propagated that as a result of the earthquake of December 26, the impact on our Earth was so great that it has affected the axis (on which the Earth rotates) and as a result, days have been shortened by a few seconds. Our media, instead of checking out the facts, spreads such rumours like a forest fire. Firstly, the axis is itself an imaginary line. Even if, one assumes - for argument sake, that the axis has been affected, one should try to delve deep into the matter. The Earth revolves on its axis just like a playtop. Now imagine disturbing the revolving top with a slight touch. The top wobbles for a few seconds and then regains its original momentum, if not disturbed further. Similarly, even if the axis has been affected, the Earth will finally resume its momentum after a few days! And this is what is finally emerging and being reported by the media, of late. Moreover, if the national media cannot stand by the Government even in such an hour of national crisis, it must not at least needlessly create and add to the confusion. Did anyone in the media ever spare a thought to offer their services for doing volunteer work alongside discharging one’s professional duties? Does


Widespread Destruction

such a tragedy ask only for professional work and no humane thought for fellow citizens and their families? It is high time that the media collectively pondered over what constitutes “news”, more so in the wake of a monumental tragedy in the history of the nation and the world.

Suggested solutions
The recurrence of another earthquake of such a strong magnitude is most unlikely in the near future. The reason being that it takes several years for the build up of energy to trigger another event of similar magnitude. So, hopefully we would have time to update our technology and be ready - just in case. We cannot wait for another tragedy to strike to put us on our feet. Also we need to put more stress on pre-disaster warning rather than post-disaster relief works.

However, people should also be encouraged to settle on higher grounds and not near the seacoasts and beaches, just in case another tsunami strikes. Efforts should also be made to monitor the behaviour of animals and birds, as it is widely known that their behaviour undergoes perceptible changes before an earthquake. This could indeed come in handy in possible prediction of an impending tsunami.

Technology should no doubt be updated, but the old should be blended with the new. Ancient tribes like Onges and Jarawas survived the tsunami and are safe in the higher reaches of Andaman and Nicobar islands. They did not have any of the modern technology at their disposal. It is time that modern man learns a lesson or two, in survival from these so-called primitive tribes!!! Conclusion Thus, the Tsunami tragedy has exposed not only our lack of preparedness in dealing with natural calamities, but also a lack of national character. Even in the face of a national tragedy we take pleasure in highlighting the ills and the shortcomings rather than glossing them over for the time being, at least till the effects of the tragedy are mitigated. The Tsunami of December 26, 2004 has thus left in its trail of destruction, among other things one ponderable poser - “how prepared really are we?” in every sense of the term in dealing with such tragedies.

Why India was not a part of the Tsunami Warning System? ‘‘Revised magnitude based on analysis of mantle waves (8.5). This earthquake is located outside the Pacific. No destructive tsunami threat exists for the Pacific basin...There is the possibility of a tsunami near the epicentre.’’ Within 15 minutes of the earthquake, scientists of PTWS had issued this tsunami warning from their Hawaii hub to 26 participating countries. But India was not among them as India is not a part of the International Co-ordination Group that receives warning about potentially deadly waves. “That’s because,” according to Kapil Sibal, Minister for Science and Technology and Ocean Development, “Nearly 75 per cent earthquakes occur on the ocean floor in the Pacific. Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, which is a network of 26 countries, generates information on the Pacific region, which is really not relevant to our region. About 25 per cent earthquakes are generated in the Alpine Himalayan region. This region stretches from Java-Sumatra to the Myanmar coast. To extend Pacific system to India would mean Rs 1,000 crore, by way of investments and contributions. Forget the cost, even the information made available is not relevant to us. So, does it make sense for India to join the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre?” He also reasons that, “If tsunamis were anticipated in India, I don’t think the nuclear plant would have been located at Kalpakkam!” Indonesia and Thailand’s ill response Of the 11 countries affected by last week’s calamity, only Thailand and Indonesia belong to the Pacific Ocean tsunami warning system. These countries received warning messages from PTWC. Also, seismologists in Thailand registered the Sumatran earthquake soon after it took place. Thai Meteorological Department officials were attending a seminar when the news came in. They immediately convened an emergency meeting, which was chaired by the department’s director-general, Supharerk Tansrirat-tanawong but the gathering decided not to issue a warning. Scientists said that without sensors in the region’s seas to track the path of tsunamis, there was no way to determine the direction a wave would travel. Moreover, they knew there would be repercussions from both government and business if they issued a false warning because of a peak tourist season. In the case of Indonesia, the huge earthquake was so close to the Indonesian island of Sumatra that it took only a few minutes for the towering waves to reach the shore. No warning system could have alerted the population in time. Also the country did not seem to be prepared to resist this type of tsunami disaster. “Unfortunately, we have no equipment here that can warn about tsunamis,” said Budi Waluyo, an official with Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency. The only seismological equipment in Indonesia capable of providing an early warning was on the island of Java. According to Nanang Puspito, head of the earthquake laboratory at the Bandung Institute of Technology, officials in Jakarta were alerted to the earthquake, but the absence of data from the specialised Java station prevented them issuing a tsunami warning.