Are our tsunami warning systems good enough?

[Mr Rayon]

Just read this article:

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/03/13/when-will-we-learn.html

 

Are our tsunami warning systems up to date? Do we need better ones? What's stopping people from making better ones? What does everyone think?

[ecoli]

Well obviously we know in hindsight we're not good enough at making these predictions. I don't think there's any tractable strategy that could have mitigated all the damage. We're just not smart enough yet.

[ydoaPs]

They're obviously good enough. That's why the GOP wants to cut their funding.

[Phi for All]

I think the warning systems need to be evaluated on a regular basis. It's the only way most things improve.

 

They're obviously good enough. That's why the GOP wants to cut their funding.

That must mean our public school system is way more than good enough. Sweet!

[insane_alien]

well, the japanese tsunami struck land soon after it was created. the warning for those land masses more than 20 minutes away did get good warning about it sometimes hours in advance.

 

the big problem is earthquake prediction. we suck at it. not because we don't invest in it, but because they are by their very nature hard to predict and any warning signals you pick up, well by the time you pick them up the earthquake is already starting.

[Mr Skeptic]

I would think that shaking the earth vigorously (a magnitude 8.9 earthquake) was plenty tsunami warning for the Japanese. I suppose the earthquake could have been detected closer to the source and provided a few seconds/minutes extra warning time (because electromagnetic waves travel faster than earthquake vibrations).

[John Cuthber]

Having a warning system isn't the whole story.

 

http://xkcd.com/723/

[KagakuOtaku]

No. No warning system is ever good enough. That's why it's called a 'warning' system. Because it can only warn people about incoming danger. People still get hurt, lives are still lost, and homes are still destroyed. Now, the perfect tsunami system would hand out surplus supplies (food, water, blankets, etc...) to the general population, and then some. It would be able to set up a defense mechanism around the area in danger. It would get people out safely, and provide shelter for them until it is safe. In a perfect world, no homes would be destoryed and those nuclear reactors in Fukushima wouldn't have had sea water pumped into them (because they would be running safe and sound). But, this is not a perfect world. The tsunami warning system we have is good enough...to a point. It's all we have, for now.

[Mr Rayon]

What does everyone think about the reactions of people during natural disasters such as these?

 

I feel as though as time progresses further people are getting more and more immature and detached from the suffering of others. For example, in the New Zealand earthquake people who were in the area close to where the natural disaster took place, there were some people around who laughing and giggling and some who described the experience of being witness to the devastation as 'awesome' in a totally serious and life-threatening situation. I think because we're all so used to watching movies/playing video games, people (both within a natural disaster or elsewhere far away) often forget how to react properly in emergencies such as these. Think can't distinguish between what they see on television as entertainment and what's real.

 

Also, in Melbourne there were floods going on a few weeks ago and people just started having fun in the water and taking pictures, everyone totally forgot that it was a potentially life-threatening situation.

 

And check this out:

http://cdn-www.i-am-bored.com/media/pearlharborjapan.jpg

 

I can't believe a lot of Americans haven't forgot about Pearl Harbour. It was a long time ago and now they're happy that a tsunami hit Japan...horrible people.

[Realitycheck]

Just read this article:

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/03/13/when-will-we-learn.html

 

Are our tsunami warning systems up to date? Do we need better ones? What's stopping people from making better ones? What does everyone think?

 

This was such a no-brainer. Its sad watching all of these people in Japan talking about doing away with nuclear energy. This reactor was right by the ocean, in an earthquake prone area! The Ring of Fire! They had a series of little hills shielding it from the ocean that were all about 5 feet tall, a whopping 5 feet. Hello. Shame on Tokyo Electric for such a totally pathetic lack of foresight.

Edited April 26, 2011 by Realitycheck

[Chris A]

I belive that as of now our tsunami warnings are horrible and we can only detected them as they r happing so its pretty much useless.

[insane_alien]

I belive that as of now our tsunami warnings are horrible and we can only detected them as they r happing so its pretty much useless.

 

if you have a way of predicting the location and magnitude of earthquakes then i'm sure there will be a nobel prize and a whole heap of money in it for you.

[Mr Rayon]

Well obviously we know in hindsight we're not good enough at making these predictions. I don't think there's any tractable strategy that could have mitigated all the damage. We're just not smart enough yet.

 

I blame all engineers everywhere. They're all so lazy!

How hard could it be to build a really strong and tall wall in all beaches as protection against tsunamis.

But it's not just engineers, it's the scientific community worldwide. I blame their negligence and sheer laziness to do anything about problems in life and from always taking 'short cuts'.

[SMF]

Voltman, I don't think this has anything to do with scientists and engineers. Nobody wants to pay for walls and warnings for rare events. SM

[zapatos]

I blame all engineers everywhere. They're all so lazy!

How hard could it be to build a really strong and tall wall in all beaches as protection against tsunamis.

But it's not just engineers, it's the scientific community worldwide. I blame their negligence and sheer laziness to do anything about problems in life and from always taking 'short cuts'.

Just curious, but what role have you taken in protecting people against tsunamis?

[insane_alien]

Just curious, but what role have you taken in protecting people against tsunamis?

it was a joke (i hope, because it was funny)

[CaptainPanic]

I blame all engineers everywhere. They're all so lazy!

How hard could it be to build a really strong and tall wall in all beaches as protection against tsunamis.

But it's not just engineers, it's the scientific community worldwide. I blame their negligence and sheer laziness to do anything about problems in life and from always taking 'short cuts'.

I blame all the people who complain about a lack of action: 10-20 years later they would complain again - but this time about the engineers for destroying all the beaches and building walls on them.

[Chalky]

I belive that as of now our tsunami warnings are horrible and we can only detected them as they r happing so its pretty much useless.

 

Depends how long it takes the wave to reach you. If the earthquake is close, as in Japan, then yes, but everywhere else around the Pacific had quite a lot of warning.

[CaptainPanic]

think not, remember what had happened in japan it almost vanish everything. We really need to improved our system to give us the exact data.

Maybe you can give some examples of how it should be improved?

 

It is easy to say that someone else should make it better... but maybe you can help too? Maybe you have some good ideas too?

 

Personally, I am happy with the existing warning systems in my country (Netherlands). And if a tsunami would ever be so big that it breaches the sea defense everywhere, there's nowhere to run to anyway... so a warning is pretty useless then

[Ophiolite]

I blame all engineers everywhere. They're all so lazy!

How hard could it be to build a really strong and tall wall in all beaches as protection against tsunamis.

But it's not just engineers, it's the scientific community worldwide. I blame their negligence and sheer laziness to do anything about problems in life and from always taking 'short cuts'.

I find it difficult to believe you are serious. You have packed so much warped thinking into a handful of sentences I find myself awestruck!

 

Do you have even the remotest concept of the cost of building such walls? Have you given any thought to the environmental impact of such a global construction project? Have you considered the social consequences of such a program?

 

As to the alleged negligence and laziness of scientists, do you actually think scientists have complete freedom to select their projects? And what are these 'short cuts' you claim they take? Finally, as another poster has asked, what exactly have you done to solve lifes problems for others?

[Appolinaria]

If a tsunami is coming so quickly that you don't have time to evacuate, then the earthquake probably did a lot of damage too.... earthquakes are the problem....