TSUNAMI

Submitted byDipanshu Nager

Tsunami concepts
What is a Tsunami? What causes a Tsunami? Where do they occur?

What is a Tsunami?
Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning harbor wave. It is constituted with two syllables, Japanese language meaning harbour ("tsu", ) and wave ("nami", ). Tsunami is a wave train or series of waves generated, by impulsive disturbance that vertically displaces the water column, in water body. Earthquake, landslides, volcanic eruption, explosion and even the impact of cosmic bodies like meteorites commonly generate tsunami. Tsunami savagely attacks coastlines causing devastating property damage and loss of lives.

What is a Tsunami?
Tsunami "Wave Train"
Many people have the mistaken belief that tsunamis are single waves. They are not. Instead tsunamis are "wave trains" consisting of multiple waves. The chart below is a tidal gauge record from Onagawa, Japan beginning at the time of the 1960 Chile earthquake. Time is plotted along the horizontal axis and water level is plotted on the vertical axis. Note the normal rise and fall of the ocean surface, caused by tides, during the early part of this record. Then recorded are a few waves a little larger than normal followed by several much larger waves. In many tsunami events the shoreline is pounded by repeated large waves.

What causes a Tsunami?

Tsunami can be generated when the see floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water. Tectonic earthquakes are a particular kind of earthquake that are associated with the earths crustal deformation, when these earthquakes occur beneath the see, the water above the deformed area is displayed from its equilibrium position. Waves are formed as the displaced water mass, which acts under the influence of gravity, attempts to regain its equilibrium

What causes a Tsunami?

Ocean waves are normally divided into 3 groups, characterized by depth:

Deep water Intermediate water Shallow water

Even though a tsunami is generated in deep water (around 4000 m below mean sea level), tsunami waves are considered shallow-water waves. As the tsunami wave approaches the shallow waters of shore, its time period remains the same, but its wavelength decreases rapidly, thus causing the water to pile up to form tremendous crests, in an effect known as "shoaling".

What causes a Tsunami?

Most tsunamis are caused by earthquakes generated in a subduction zone, an area where an oceanic plate is being forced down into the mantle by plate tectonic forces. The friction between the subducting plate and the overriding plate is enormous. This friction prevents a slow and steady rate of subduction and instead the two plates become "stuck".

What causes a Tsunami?

As the stuck plate continues to descend into the mantle the motion causes a slow distortion of the overriding plate. The result is an accumulation of energy very similar to the energy stored in a compressed spring. Energy can accumulate in the overriding plate over a long period of time - decades or even centuries.

Energy accumulates in the overriding plate until it exceeds the frictional forces between the two stuck plates. When this happens, the overriding plate snaps back into an unrestrained position. This sudden motion is the cause of the tsunami - because it gives an enormous shove to the overlying water. At the same time, inland areas of the overriding plate are suddenly lowered.

What causes a Tsunami?

Where do they occur?

Tsunamis occur most frequently in the Pacific Ocean, but are a global phenomenon; they are possible wherever large bodies of water are found, including inland lakes, where they can be caused by landslides. Japan is a nation with the most recorded tsunamis in the world. The earliest recorded disaster being that of the 684 A.D. Please refer to the below website of the List of historic tsunamis by death toll: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_disasters_by_death_toll

Where do they occur?

Map of tectonic plates where the earthquake triggered the tsunami

Tsunami- 26 December, 2006

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CAUSES EFFECTS RELIEF EFFORTS FUTURE MEASURES

Tsunami causes
Contents:
Plate Tectonics Tsunami Formation Indian Ocean Earthquake

Plate Tectonics
In the 20th century, a German meteorologist named Alfred Wegener proposed the Continental Drift Theory which states that the surface of the Earth actually consisted of plates which were in constant slow motion. By the 1950s, the theory was later improved to become the Theory of Plate Tectonics which is widely accepted today. According to this theory, the Earths surface is broken into eight major plates and several other smaller ones. The edges of these plates are known as the plate boundaries, and are areas with intense geologic activity, e.g. earthquakes, volcanic activities and folding of the crust. These plates are continuously in motion, forming sites of convergence, divergence and sliding.

Tsunami Formation
Definition:
Tsunamis are defined as extremely large ocean waves triggered by underwater earthquakes, volcanic activities or landslides.

The word tsunami was coined from the Japanese word " ", translating to "harbor wave" in English. Tsunamis are sometimes referred to as "tidal waves" by the general public, which is a misnomer as tsunamis are unrelated to the tides. Tsunamis normally occur in Pacific Ocean, and are relatively rare in areas surrounding the Indian subcontinent. The December 26th tsunami disaster is an example of a tsunami which was triggered by an earthquake.

Indian Ocean Earthquake Statistics :

Date : 26 December 2004 Origin Time : 00:58 53 s UTC Latitude/Longitude : 3.267 North / 95.821 East Depth : 10 km Magnitude : 9.0 Locality : 255 km SSE of Banda Aceh, Northern Sumatra

Official report

Official Report
U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center
The devastating megathrust earthquake of December 26, 2004, occurred on the interface of the India and Burma plates and was caused by the release of stresses that develop as the Indian plate subducts beneath the overriding Burma plate. The India plate began its descent into the mantle at the Sundra trench, which lies to the west of the earthquake's epicenter. The trench is the surface expression of the plate interface between the Australia and India plates, situated to the southwest of the trench, and the Burma and Sundra plates, situated to the northeast. At region of the earthquake, the India plate moved northeast at a rate of about 6 cm/year relative to the Burma plate. This resulted in oblique convergence at the Sundra trench.

Tsunami - effects
Contents :
Damage to Countries Death Toll Economical impact Environmental consequences

Damage to countries
Indonesia Srilanka India Malaysia Thailand Myanmar Others

Indonesia
The epicenter of the Earthquake was located some 160km west of Sumatra and nearly all the casualties and damage took place within the province of Aceh. Indonesia's Ministry of Health has confirmed 166,320 dead but this is not the final count because most regions are still inaccessible and reports are slow. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that up to 100,000 are missing. In addition, the UN estimates that 655,000 people are homeless and sheltering in scattered refugee camps across the province. Ten metre tall waves passed the northern tip of Sumatra to turn southwards towards the Straits of Malacca and strike along the northeast coast.

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Sri Lanka

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An island nation situated in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka was the 2nd worst hit by the tsunami. However, in terms of country size, Sri Lanka was in fact hit harder by the tsunami than Indonesia because most of its coastline was hit by the deadly waves. Sri Lankan authorities report 30,196 confirmed deaths as of 3 January 2005 after the island was hit by the tsunami. Many of the dead were children and the elderly. The south and east coasts were worst hit. An estimated one and a half million people have been displaced from their homes. Roughly 1,200 bodies were counted at Batticaloa in the east. 800 were reported dead when the tsunami reached more than 2 kilometres (1.25 miles) inland at Trincomalee to the northeast.

India
Go Back In terms of the number of casualties, India was the 3rd worst hit country partly because a large section of its coastline was hard hit by the tsunami. The areas that were hit included the state of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Pondicherry and the Andaman and Nicobar islands. With a death toll of 7,793, the state of Tamil Nadu was no doubt the worst hit on the mainland. In the Nagapattinam district alone there were 5,525 casualties, with entire villages having been destroyed. The Kanyakumari district has had 808 deaths and the Cuddalore district 599, the state capital Chennai 206 and Kancheepuram district 124.

The casualties in Kanyakumari include pilgrims taking a holy dip in the sea and visitors to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. People playing and taking a Sunday morning stroll along the Marina beach in Chennai were washed away.

Malaysia
Shielded by the island of Sumatra, Malaysia escaped the kind of damage that struck countries much further away. The affected areas were the northern coastal areas islands such as Penang and Langkawi. The number of deaths are as follows; 52 in Penang, 12 in Kedah, 3 in Perak and 1 in Selangor with a total of 68. Among the dead were picnickers and children playing at the beach in Penang. However, no deaths are reported among foreign tourists. Fishing villages in Batu Maung and Bayan Lepas in Penang were damaged as well. Coastal areas in Peninsular Malaysia were also affected. Roughly one quarter of holiday vessels anchored in Rebak and Telaga harbour in Langkawi were damaged.

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Thailand

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The Thai government reports 5,246 missing and estimates that 8,000 are likely to have died. Several popular tourist resorts such as Phuket, Khao Lak and the Phi Phi Islands were hit hard by the waves. The resort area of Khao Lak report 3,950 confirmed deaths and the final count may very well exceed 4,500. Hundreds of holiday bungalows on the Phi Phi Islands were washed out to sea. Bhumi Jensen, grandson of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was among those killed. The tourism and fishing sectors have been adversely affected by the aftermath of the tsunami. The beach resorts along the Andaman Sea coast have been extensively damaged it will take many years for recovery. Numerous hotels and small businesses have been ruined and the price for recovery will be extremely costly.

Myanmar
It is difficult to gauge how many people have been killed in Myanmar because foreign journalists are not permitted to enter and the information published on state-run newspapers is tightly controlled. However, the official death toll stands at 56 whereas independent sources report of some 90 deaths. At least 30,000 citizens of Myanmar are in dire need of shelter, food and water and around 788 buildings were purportedly damaged or destroyed. An estimated 7,000 people are still missing

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Others

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In Bangladesh, 2 children killed after a tourist boat capsized in surging waves. In Yemen, 1 child was killed and 40 fishing boats wrecked on Socotra Island. 10 were killed in Tanzania, with an unknown number of people missing. Waves struck Kenya causing some minor damage. One person reported drowned at Watamu, near Mombasa. 3 were killed in Seychelles, seven people missing. A major bridge in Port Victoria also destroyed. 2 deaths have been reported in South Africa, with some significant damage to structures inland. 176 people were reported dead in Somalia with 50,000 people displaced from their homes. A further 82 people dead and 26 missing, presumed dead were reported in the Maldives.

Death Toll
Country where deaths occurred Deaths Confirmed Estimated Injured Missing Displaced

Indonesia Sri Lanka India Thailand Somalia Myanmar (Burma) Malaysia Maldives

173,981 38,195 10,744 5,305 3 150+ 59 68 74 82

220,000 38,195 16,413 11,000 298 2,500 74 108

~100,000 15,686 8,457 45 299 -

6,245 23,000+ 5,669 4,499 7,000

400,000700,000 ~573,000 380,000 5,000 3,200 -

26 12,000 22,000

Economical Impact
The immediate relief needs in the affected countries in the Indian Ocean are gigantic and complicated, and there will be a long term need for rebuilding in these areas. The disaster is complicated because there are the effects of the earthquake near the epicenter (Banda Aceh) and the widespread effects of the tsunami wave. In effect, there are two disasters, a very serious earthquake as well as the effects of the tsunamis generated. The effects are likely to be most severe and apparent for island economies and countries/cities dependent on the sea and near the epicenter of the earthquake (Banda Aceh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Maldives).

Environmental Consequences
Precious coral reefs and mangrove areas would have been crushed by the huge tsunami waves that have devastated southern Asia, an environmental and economic setback that could take years to reverse. The reefs around Sri Lanka and Phuket have been severely damaged due to then bearing the brunt of the forceful walls of water. When the waves get close to shore, their height is amplified and they release all their energy, decimating everything in their paths. The atolls of the alluring Maldives and the southern Thai islands (including Mangrove areas that act as nursery habitats to fish and shrimp) were also destroyed by the strong waves.

Tsunami Relief Efforts

Contents : Emergency Relief Rehabilitation Reconstruction Case Study: Relief Efforts in Singapore Case Study: Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)

Emergency relief
Search and rescue
Many countries were quick to respond to the disaster. Some countries sent military and medical personnel to affected areas. Others provided military equipment to facilitate the search and rescue operations. The tsunami brought about the devastation of transport and communication infrastructure. Roads were destroyed, blocking off access via land to some affected areas. Thus, aerial and sea military transports were required to reach some rural areas. The force of the tsunami has altered the landscape of coastal areas, rendering most conventional topological maps useless. Therefore, ships with radar capabilities play supporting roles by coordinating the operations, and carrying out surveillance work

Emergency relief
Identification of bodies
Thousands of corpses of victims are stacked in temporary morgues converted from Buddhist temples across southern Thailand. Some are kept in refrigerated containers, others are buried near the temples in rows of shallow graves. However, many bodies were already in various stages of decomposition before they were found. In addition, Thailand's hot and humid climate accelerated the rate of decomposition, complicating efforts to identify them. Facial recognition of bodies is almost impossible, as bodies are bloated. Therefore, experts are relying on modern methods to identify victims. Forensic scientists rely on dental records to identify Westerners, who generally have dental records since childhood. For locals and other Asians, DNA must be used, as fingerprints have dissolved, rendering fingerprint records totally useless.

Emergency relief
Search for missing ones
The first stop for people in search of their loved ones is a gallery of photographs displayed on bulletin boards at the temporary morgues. Families scrutinize pictures for distinctive scars, jewellery or facial features, hoping to find the bodies of their loved ones. Although the pictures were taken as soon as the bodies were found, most bodies were already beyond recognition, and covered in dirt, mud and debris. If the search is without success, they move on to a search coordination centre where they supply information of dead family members, such as records of surgeries

Emergency relief
Problems
Thai authorities have decided that every corpse has to be DNA tested, so that there is no mistake in identification. That means that even people who can provide evidence such as prominent features have to wait for the test results, before they can claim the bodies of their deceased family. Moreover, the quality of DNA degenerates over time, and some entire families may have been wiped out, such that their kin may not have DNA which is representative of the families' genetic traits. Sadly, some bodies may never be recovered, as they have been washed into the open sea.

Emergency relief
Medical aid
Singapore has established a medical camp at the Secata military camp outside Banda Aceh, which primary objectives include providing outpatient treatment and onthe-spot surgeries. The medical team, which comprises of 6 doctors and 6 nurses from private hospitals, and 6 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel, serves between 100 and 120 patients a day. In addition, the camp serves as a temporary shelter to approximately 3000 tsunami survivors.

Emergency relief
Provision of food & drinking water
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, fresh water became a scarce commodity across the region, as reservoirs and other water sources were damaged or contaminated by ocean water, and decomposing bodies. Experts estimate that this could lead to the widespread occurrence of water borne diseases such as cholera, which could cause up to twice as many deaths as the direct impact of the tsunami. This was carried out in a series of efforts. Firstly, medical workers have to locate water sources that are uncontaminated, and protect them from contamination by building cement walls, protective fencing and drainage systems. Next, the people have to be educated on the various water purification techniques. For example, chlorination, or the addition of water purification tablets.

Rehabilitation
Volunteer work
Volunteers can provide help to the tsunami victims in many different ways. Some help in the orderly distribution of food, clothes, drinking water and medicine and other basic necessities. Some help clean up the debris and search for the missing. While others bury or cremate the dead, treat the injured in medical camps and relief centers or provide emotional support to those who have lost family in the tragedy. It is estimated that there are 4 persons injured for every person dead. Thus, medical staff is required to provide health care, such as treatment of injury, and vaccination against cholera and other water-borne diseases.

Rehabilitation
Housing
In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, houses were swept away, and millions of survivors were made homeless. Tents and tarpaulins are good temporary shelters, but something more substantial is needed, as reconstruction may take several years. The absence of permanent shelter increases the likelihood of insect bites exposure to other parasitic diseases. There are other inexpensive alternatives such as the Global Village Shelter, a flat-pack hut made from water and fire resistant cardboard-type material. It takes approximately 20 minutes to assemble, and costs about US$400, about 5 times the cost of a tent.

Rehabilitation
Education
Many children have lost the chance to attend school, as the tsunami has destroyed school buildings. For some, the chaotic situation simply disallows the privilege of an education. Restarting the education system gets children back into a daily routine and helps them cope with the trauma. Moreover, it offers them a way escape from the vicious cycle of poverty. Once tents or temporary structures had been set up for children, the next stage was making sure that they were engaged in activities beneficial for their mental and psychological well being. However, exercise books, textbooks and equipment had all been destroyed.

Reconstruction
Tourism
Most of the areas worst hit by the tsunami depend on tourism to support its economy. Among them, Maldives is most badly affected. Tourism contributes to as much as 72.1% of the country's GDP. An estimated 64.4% of the population's livelihood depends on tourism and related industries. Tourism also contributes significantly to the economies of other affected nations such as Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

Reconstruction
Fishing industry
The fishing industry is an important aspect of the economies of affected nations. In any disaster, the poorest of society have always been affected most. Problems Faced As the tsunami hit the coast, many fishing boats and equipment including boats and fishing gear have been swept away or damaged. Most of the people whose livelihoods depend on fishing have no insurance to recover their loss of equipments. Moreover, the rumors that it is dangerous to eat fish that have been in proximity to or have fed on victims' bodies has dealt a further blow to the industry, and reports suggest that fish consumption is dropping as a result. However, experts agree that such worries are unfounded, and there was no evidence of an increased risk of fish or seafood borne diseases in the affected regions.

Reconstruction
Agriculture
As there were human casualties, undoubtedly, domestic farm animals reared for commercial purposes were not spared. In affected areas, such livestock was vital in its contribution to the economic livelihoods of the people. Some means of solving this includes restocking, with the replacement of animals from other villages or regions less affected. Moreover, proper sanitary conditions have to be established, not just for the health of human, but for that of the livestock as well. The Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) will prepare appropriate guidelines, checklists and specifications for rehabilitating household livestock enterprises. The findings would then be made available to the relief organizations, so that they are able to effectively meet the differing specific needs of various affected areas.

Reconstruction
Donations
The international community was spontaneous in the effort to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to affected nations. The World Bank estimates the total amount of aid required to be US$5 Billion. As of 8th February 2005, the total amount pledged by governments, International aid organisations, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and private individuals has already exceeded this amount, and stands at US$5.5 Billion. Of this amount, donations of governments from 87 countries make up US$5.1 Billion. Private persons and institutions have contributed the balance of US$ 393 Million.

Tsunami Future Measures

Contents : Tsunami Warning System Government Policies Suggested Precautions

Warning system
Definition A tsunami warning system is a system to detect tsunamis and issue warnings to prevent loss of life. It consists of two equally important components: a network of sensors to detect tsunamis and a communications infrastructure to issue timely alarms to permit evacuation of coastal areas. Importance of Tsunami Warning System A tsunami warning system such as that in the Pacific Ocean can help save lives. When the earthquake struck off Sumatra, a monitoring system could have predicted the possibility of an ongoing tsunami caused by the quake by measuring underwater sea currents. Such a system can then inform the relevant governments in the area around the Indian Ocean, and they can then warn their people to evacuate costal.

Government policies
ASEAN
On January 6th 2005, an emergency ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian National) tsunami summit was held in Jakarta, Indonesia. During the summit, there was a declaration by ASEAN members to unite together to strengthen relief efforts. As rescue efforts and relief coordination are especially crucial in the aftermath of the crisis. During the meeting, certain procedures were discussed to mitigate and reduce the extent of damage should such an incident occur again. They decided that the aid of the military and civilians could be enlisted as they would be invaluable. The military is disciplined and well-trained, whereas the local civilians could offer assistance and aid very quickly, given their proximity to the disaster.

Government policies
European Union
The European Union (EU) Commission has already agreed on donating 2 million to finance the first phase of the proposed Tsunami early warning system, which will service the Indian Ocean and improve the safety of the people living there. In addition, the EU Commission has also provided $350,000 in preparation for the UN Conference mentioned above. It also expressed its eagerness in providing assistance in international efforts to develop tsunami warning systems. Its Commission services is also thinking of aiding in the setting up of an Indian Ocean Geo-physical hazards competence centre, which would co-ordinate the implementation of a tsunami early warning system in the area and deal with the transferring and sharing of technologies.

Government policies
United Nations
The UN Conference on disaster reduction in Kobe (18 - 22 January 2005) set aside 2 sessions that touched on the Tsunami aftermath and came up with a blueprint for a Tsunami early warning system and discussed how the many nations involved in its building and operation should coordinate and cooperate effectively to reduce time and cost. The system is to be built for the Indian Ocean, which experiences earthquakes, though very much less frequently than other regions such as the Pacific. It called for assistance and aid from the more fortunate countries to help prevent such incidents and build a better tomorrow.

References :
http://www.rumela.com/diary/diary_tsunami.htm http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559898/Tsunami.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunami http://geo-world.org/tsunami/ http://geology.com/articles/tsunami-geology.shtml http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/historical.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_Earthquake http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqinthenews/2004/usslav http://www.nio.org/jsp/tsunami.jsp

References :
http://www.ess.washington.edu/tsunami/toc.html http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2369.htm http://www.geophys.washington.edu/tsunami/general/warning/warning.html http://tsunami.aseansec.org/index.php?OP=NEWS&NEWS=110532623 http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/tsunami/early_warning.htm

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