Boxing Day Tsunami
By Lily Harnath
Initially the earthquake was classified as having a magnitude of 9.0 on the Richter scale. However in 2005 seismologists reclassified the magnitude as 9.3, which is only second to the 1960 Chile earthquake that had a magnitude of 9.5.
Devastation
Tidal waves approaching a beach
Boxing Day Tsunami
Drawback is caused by the moving of the tectonic plates. The water becomes displaced and the water recedes.
Devastation
- Originally US $9.9 billion was estimated to be the value of economic, infrastructural and human development losses.
- 141,000 houses were destroyed.
- In Aceh over 600,000 lost their livelihoods.
- Over 1000 German and Swedish tourists were killed.
Tsunami Warning System
The 'Tsunami Warning System' has the potential to be great because it can help give warning of a tsunami so that we can avoid the large number of deaths because of unpredicted tsunamis. However the system will be expensive and will take a long time to build. So we have to think about if it is worth spending so much money and time on something that won't be used extremely often.
Sources
http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2004/eq_041226/neic_slav_ts.html
http://asc-india.org/lib/20041226-sumatra.htm
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/ASK/tsunami2.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/tsunami/
http://www.thebcom.org/ourwork/reliefwork/96-the-boxing-day-tsunami-facts-and-figures.html?showall=1
http://earthweb.ess.washington.edu/tsunami/general/warning/warning.html