Tsunami Alert

Not that there's anything we can do about it from here, but the U.S. Geological Survey has issued a tusnami warning after an earthquake measuring 8.2 struck off Indonesia's Sumatra Island in the Andaman Sea.

The director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said scientists there feared another tsunami might hit the area.

Charles McCreary said he could not be certain that the quake, which was 30 km deep and 203 kilometer (126 miles) from Sibolga on Sumatra Island, would cause a tsunami.

"There is a potential for some wave activity," said Julie Martinez, a geophysicist at the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center, in Golden, Colo.

The quake occurred at 1109 ET (1609 GMT), and is considered a "great" earthquake, the largest of seven grades.

Well, perhaps there is one thing we can do (beside calling and emailing those you may know in the region): if God owes you any favors, now would be a good time to call them in.

Comments

[Jesurgislac]

[expletive deleted]

Oh no, not again.

[double-plus-ungood]

Day after Christmas, day after Easter.

I've heard tsunami warnings have gone out via radio and TV, hopefully everyone gets to high ground this time. And, let's face it, if the water drops way, way out, no one will be heading down to the beach this time.

[wilfred]

the magnitude of this one is different thank goodness. there's a big difference between an 8.5 and a 9.1 believe it or not. i learned by experience living on the west coast. hopefully there will be no tsunami.

[double-plus-ungood]

This is being described as a very big aftershock, but reports from Indonesia have people saying that it felt bigger than the December quake.

Quote from Reuters:

An NGO official in Banda Aceh, the town worst hit by the Dec. 26 tsunami, sent out a telephone message saying thousands of people fled their homes and headed for higher ground after feeling what he described as "a very damn big earthquake."

[double-plus-ungood]

Also, I seem to recall the initial assessment of the December quake being in the eights, only to be reassessed later to above nine. This could be similar.

[Jay C.]

wilfred:
you can relax. According to the Pacific Tsumani Warning Center (this link):

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Quakes/usweax.htm

there is no (and will not be) a Tsunami Warning issued for the US/Canadian West Coast or Alaska. However, they are not sure yet if there has been/will be tsunami activity in the region. It has been, as I post this, exactly three hours since the quake, and they think that now should be the time to know if there will be wave or not.

[mky]

You have live through the earthquake to understand. And dont wish to anyone to have that experience ecspecially like that one 9.1

God help them.

[double-plus-ungood]

The size of the quake has been upgraded to 8.7, but it looks as if there is no tsunami. Knock on wood.

[Anarch]

In an odd sort of silver-lining effect: at least there's very little left to destroy. And thank God they had some warning this time around.

On which note, though, in addition to feeding the Farber we should probably considering slinging a few more bucks Southeast-Asia-wards. If you haven't yet donated to the relief there, this would be an excellent time; if you have, see if you can find your way to giving a little more.

[fred]

Is this one of those Democronamis Charles was talking about?

[Dutchmarbel]

we should probably considering slinging a few more bucks Southeast-Asia-wards. If you haven't yet donated to the relief there, this would be an excellent time; if you have, see if you can find your way to giving a little more.

Personally I feel that the Tsunami area has quite a lot of money now, and should be able to do some impressive rebuilding the first years. I have donated money to them on a few occassions, but feel that I should donate now to projects that are less visible for the public but were donations would help more directly. The sad story of Bangladesh where our good intentions (building waterpits) unexpectedly caused the population to be poisened by arsenicum touched me, so that is my current 'donation of choice'.