What is the proper response to a tsunani?

[Ed Ruiz]

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge has many subsea...

Fissures. also both Iceland and the Azores are volcanic islands along its spine that just happen to be high enough to be above sea-level. Splitting of land-masses may not be enough to cause severe tsunamis. Vertical movement of one or plate relative to another is more likely cause tsunamis that can be quit severe. It has been known to occur in Portugal, and there is geologic evidence that they have occured along the Atlantic seaboard, but not in recorded historic times.Nonetheless, there are numerous tidal gauges in the Atlantic. There are several oceanographic and earth science institutions (Woods Hole, the USGS, etc.) near the American Atlantic coast. If there is enough time for warnings, they will be issued. What people will do as a result of those warnings is unkown. :^(~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~

 

[Ed Ruiz]

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge has many subsea...

Fissures. also both Iceland and the Azores are volcanic islands along its spine that just happen to be high enough to be above sea-level. Splitting of land-masses may not be enough to cause severe tsunamis. Vertical movement of one or plate relative to another is more likely cause tsunamis that can be quit severe. It has been known to occur in Portugal, and there is geologic evidence that they have occured along the Atlantic seaboard, but not in recorded historic times.Nonetheless, there are numerous tidal gauges in the Atlantic. There are several oceanographic and earth science institutions (Woods Hole, the USGS, etc.) near the American Atlantic coast. If there is enough time for warnings, they will be issued. What people will do as a result of those warnings is unkown. :^(~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~

 

[Gord May]

Cruiser Reports etc.

First hand Cruiser Reports, and a List of yachts affected by the Asian Tsunamis, very kindly submitted by Richard H Donaldson-Alves - Net controller of the SE Asia Maritime Mobile Net.The Cruiser Log Message Board at:http://www.cruiserlog.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=424The kinetic energy of a wave is tremendous! A 4-foot, 10-second wave striking a coast expends more than 35,000 horsepower per mile of beach. For each 56-mile stretch of coast, the energy is equal to the power generated at Hoover Dam. - from Bowditch,Chapter 33 Waves, Breakers, and Surf, page 447:http://www.irbs.com/bowditch/ http://www.irbs.com/bowditch/pdf/chapt33.pdf

 

[Gord May]

Cruiser Reports etc.

First hand Cruiser Reports, and a List of yachts affected by the Asian Tsunamis, very kindly submitted by Richard H Donaldson-Alves - Net controller of the SE Asia Maritime Mobile Net.The Cruiser Log Message Board at:http://www.cruiserlog.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=424The kinetic energy of a wave is tremendous! A 4-foot, 10-second wave striking a coast expends more than 35,000 horsepower per mile of beach. For each 56-mile stretch of coast, the energy is equal to the power generated at Hoover Dam. - from Bowditch,Chapter 33 Waves, Breakers, and Surf, page 447:http://www.irbs.com/bowditch/ http://www.irbs.com/bowditch/pdf/chapt33.pdf

 

[Peter Brennan]

That Atlantic island

is in the Canaries. An active volcano. Article about it in the Sunday NY Times the other day. It is in danger of splitting apart and creatinbg a tremendous lkandslide and tsunami that would destroy the east coats of the US and lot of other places too. No one knows when it will happen but the experts agree it eventually will happen. Same article mentioned a landslide-based tsunami in Alaska that was 1,200+ feet high. But it never came close to occupied land.

 

[Peter Brennan]

That Atlantic island

is in the Canaries. An active volcano. Article about it in the Sunday NY Times the other day. It is in danger of splitting apart and creatinbg a tremendous lkandslide and tsunami that would destroy the east coats of the US and lot of other places too. No one knows when it will happen but the experts agree it eventually will happen. Same article mentioned a landslide-based tsunami in Alaska that was 1,200+ feet high. But it never came close to occupied land.

 

[eds928gt]

Considering the distance from the US

If it were to occur, a tsunami caused by a Canary Island landslide would take at least 7 hours to get to the US Atlantic coast. That should afford us plenty of time to inform everyone along the coast of an impending catastrophy.I would be more concerned about the tsunami from a large meteor (like the one thought to have caused the dinasaur extiction of about 65 MYA). The impact location and magnitude of such a meteor is (currently) far more difficult to predict, prepare for, and give adequate warnings than from an earthquake or landslide event several thousand miles from our shores.~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~

 

[eds928gt]

Considering the distance from the US

If it were to occur, a tsunami caused by a Canary Island landslide would take at least 7 hours to get to the US Atlantic coast. That should afford us plenty of time to inform everyone along the coast of an impending catastrophy.I would be more concerned about the tsunami from a large meteor (like the one thought to have caused the dinasaur extiction of about 65 MYA). The impact location and magnitude of such a meteor is (currently) far more difficult to predict, prepare for, and give adequate warnings than from an earthquake or landslide event several thousand miles from our shores.~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~

 

[Dan Jonas]

Meteors?

I'm reading the news the other day about a meteor that we are tracking that has some possibility of getting us somewhere around 2029. Lets see, that is about 24 years away and I suspect that if they decide it actually is going to hit, that sometime before we are down to 7 hours, they might even know about where.Now I'm not suggesting that a meteor might be easy to hide from, but, if anyone thinks the eastern coast of the US could be evacuated within 7 hours after a Canary Island landslide that is supposed to make a wave that might be quite a bit taller than the one in Asia, then you must be smoking some of our California medical weed.My bet is that near earth orbit dangers are currently more predictable but no less or more preventable than any natural disaster. Imagine you are in downtown Manhatten (where many rely on public transportation) and this very instant, you hear that an hour ago the wave was on its way. About that same time, so do the other 8 million or more people. Good luck!!Right now, I'm feeling pretty safe from that asteroid, at least until I'm 78, and they are only giving it a 1 in 45 chance to hit. I think I have time to get things in order. On the other hand, the east coast it looking kind of dicey.Before the flames start, I'm not making light of a serious and unfortunate natural disaster. We should do everything we can to help mitigate any effects of disasters around the world. I'm just pointing out that 3-7 hours warning may not make much difference depending upon terrain and size of the event. In California there was a Tsunami after the Alaska quake in the 60's. I seem to recall that people drowned because they went to watch it. If the waves are less than 30-40 feet, than along much (but not all) of California the inland damage would be mitigated by the very steep coastline that is here. On the other hand, much of the east coast is pretty flat from the sea and someone here said something about a 1/4 mile high wave? Seriously? What is the highest elevation in Florida? 345 Feeet. Took me a day and a half to drive from Miami to Georgia with good traffic.Maybe we should start grading that Canary island into the sea a little bit at a time right now. I suspect we could have much of it done before the Asteroid hits in 2029.Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)

 

[Dan Jonas]

Meteors?

I'm reading the news the other day about a meteor that we are tracking that has some possibility of getting us somewhere around 2029. Lets see, that is about 24 years away and I suspect that if they decide it actually is going to hit, that sometime before we are down to 7 hours, they might even know about where.Now I'm not suggesting that a meteor might be easy to hide from, but, if anyone thinks the eastern coast of the US could be evacuated within 7 hours after a Canary Island landslide that is supposed to make a wave that might be quite a bit taller than the one in Asia, then you must be smoking some of our California medical weed.My bet is that near earth orbit dangers are currently more predictable but no less or more preventable than any natural disaster. Imagine you are in downtown Manhatten (where many rely on public transportation) and this very instant, you hear that an hour ago the wave was on its way. About that same time, so do the other 8 million or more people. Good luck!!Right now, I'm feeling pretty safe from that asteroid, at least until I'm 78, and they are only giving it a 1 in 45 chance to hit. I think I have time to get things in order. On the other hand, the east coast it looking kind of dicey.Before the flames start, I'm not making light of a serious and unfortunate natural disaster. We should do everything we can to help mitigate any effects of disasters around the world. I'm just pointing out that 3-7 hours warning may not make much difference depending upon terrain and size of the event. In California there was a Tsunami after the Alaska quake in the 60's. I seem to recall that people drowned because they went to watch it. If the waves are less than 30-40 feet, than along much (but not all) of California the inland damage would be mitigated by the very steep coastline that is here. On the other hand, much of the east coast is pretty flat from the sea and someone here said something about a 1/4 mile high wave? Seriously? What is the highest elevation in Florida? 345 Feeet. Took me a day and a half to drive from Miami to Georgia with good traffic.Maybe we should start grading that Canary island into the sea a little bit at a time right now. I suspect we could have much of it done before the Asteroid hits in 2029.Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)

 

[p323ms]

More immediate dangers

Get my attention. Yes someday Nevada will have beachfront property but probably not today. Last week driving home up I65 there was a wreck in front of my wife and I. I stopped but could see a 18 wheeler rolling along full speed coming up behind us. I pumped my brakes to signal and he started slowing down. Here we were in a Nissan Sentra between a 18 wheeler and a large SUV!!! I couldn't go right because of a truck so I started left hopeing to fit between the SUV and the median concrete divider. By this time smoke was boiling from the 18 wheelers tires and he finally stopped inches from our rear bumper. If he had waited another second to apply brakes???? My attitude is "shit happens, deal with it" and this works well with "don't worry,be happy"" . If we were to worry about all that could happen on any given day it would be hard to stop hiding under the bed. "carpe diem"Tom

 

[p323ms]

More immediate dangers

Get my attention. Yes someday Nevada will have beachfront property but probably not today. Last week driving home up I65 there was a wreck in front of my wife and I. I stopped but could see a 18 wheeler rolling along full speed coming up behind us. I pumped my brakes to signal and he started slowing down. Here we were in a Nissan Sentra between a 18 wheeler and a large SUV!!! I couldn't go right because of a truck so I started left hopeing to fit between the SUV and the median concrete divider. By this time smoke was boiling from the 18 wheelers tires and he finally stopped inches from our rear bumper. If he had waited another second to apply brakes???? My attitude is "shit happens, deal with it" and this works well with "don't worry,be happy"" . If we were to worry about all that could happen on any given day it would be hard to stop hiding under the bed. "carpe diem"Tom

 

[Droop]

Proof your safe at sea!

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/29/tsunami.diver/index.html

 

[Droop]

Proof your safe at sea!

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/29/tsunami.diver/index.html

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Gord, we need you!

He needs to jump in here with statistical probabilities. I know the odds of dying in a car crash is 1:175. Gord, what's the odds of dying in an earthquake, a tsunami,,,,,P.S. Just read Snoops post. Why is it that we hear that US officials are so poor (to use a polite term) during these disasters. Are they? In my travels the only time I used a US embassy was in Grenada. The woman running it and helping me was a Brit. When I crossed back to the US from Canada with our boat this summer, I checked in with the radio. No problem. They just wanted my credit card number. The woman helping me was Spanish, probably from Mexico. But that's America. You gotta love it!

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Gord, we need you!

He needs to jump in here with statistical probabilities. I know the odds of dying in a car crash is 1:175. Gord, what's the odds of dying in an earthquake, a tsunami,,,,,P.S. Just read Snoops post. Why is it that we hear that US officials are so poor (to use a polite term) during these disasters. Are they? In my travels the only time I used a US embassy was in Grenada. The woman running it and helping me was a Brit. When I crossed back to the US from Canada with our boat this summer, I checked in with the radio. No problem. They just wanted my credit card number. The woman helping me was Spanish, probably from Mexico. But that's America. You gotta love it!

 

[eds928gt]

Well, it's not that bad.

If we are talking about Manhattan, NY, it's mostly shielded from the open ocean by Long Island. The folks in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, and the rest of LI, will have to get to higher ground, but the folks in Manhattan can go up into tall buildings (and there are plenty of them) or find their way to N.J. and beyond. FL, and other low lying coastal areas are more problematic.Still, one must not over-react or get overly aggitated about an Atlantic tsunami. The Atlantic is much much less seismically active that the Pacific. (In case you're not aware of it, the reason there are highlands adjacent to the US west-coast IS because it's (and has been) very seismically active, and the reason the US east-coast is mostly flat IS because it has relatively low seismic activity. Please excuse the geomorphology lesson.)Anyway, the likelihood of a major tsunami hitting the US east coast is very very remote. You have a better chance of being hit by lightning three times. Can't say it won't happen, but I would not worry about it.~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~

 

[eds928gt]

Well, it's not that bad.

If we are talking about Manhattan, NY, it's mostly shielded from the open ocean by Long Island. The folks in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, and the rest of LI, will have to get to higher ground, but the folks in Manhattan can go up into tall buildings (and there are plenty of them) or find their way to N.J. and beyond. FL, and other low lying coastal areas are more problematic.Still, one must not over-react or get overly aggitated about an Atlantic tsunami. The Atlantic is much much less seismically active that the Pacific. (In case you're not aware of it, the reason there are highlands adjacent to the US west-coast IS because it's (and has been) very seismically active, and the reason the US east-coast is mostly flat IS because it has relatively low seismic activity. Please excuse the geomorphology lesson.)Anyway, the likelihood of a major tsunami hitting the US east coast is very very remote. You have a better chance of being hit by lightning three times. Can't say it won't happen, but I would not worry about it.~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Ed, that was a good attempt at explaining

continental drift. Here's another attempt. As far as North America in concerned, think of a rug laid flat on a floor. The floor is not slick but has some traction. Now use a push-broom or something similar and try to move the rug by shoving on it. The rug will likely bunch-up at the broom and rise. It will continue to do so until the flat part moves. The part pushed into the air is the Rockey Mountains. The part staying flat is the plane states and Florida. Make sense? I'm sure others have better metaphors but that's the best I can do at this hour. Come to think of it, that metaphor works for South America too. Now as far as the rest of the world, think: pool table and breaking the rack. The power pushing the broom? Mostly the Moon. Back in 1980 a group of graduate students from Berkley figured this all out. Science by committee.

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Ed, that was a good attempt at explaining

continental drift. Here's another attempt. As far as North America in concerned, think of a rug laid flat on a floor. The floor is not slick but has some traction. Now use a push-broom or something similar and try to move the rug by shoving on it. The rug will likely bunch-up at the broom and rise. It will continue to do so until the flat part moves. The part pushed into the air is the Rockey Mountains. The part staying flat is the plane states and Florida. Make sense? I'm sure others have better metaphors but that's the best I can do at this hour. Come to think of it, that metaphor works for South America too. Now as far as the rest of the world, think: pool table and breaking the rack. The power pushing the broom? Mostly the Moon. Back in 1980 a group of graduate students from Berkley figured this all out. Science by committee.