Indonesia Earthquake

[Reece]

Indonesia Earthquake Triggers Tsunami Warning, Aftershocks Strike: Video Shows Panic as Tremors Hit

Millions of people living along the coastline of the Indian Ocean were left breathing a sigh of relief today after warnings of a devastating tsunami were lifted following two massive earthquakes. Panic spread across the region after an 8.7 magnitude tremor struck 270 miles off the Indonesian province of Aceh - which bore the brunt of the Boxing Day tidal wave of 2004. Tsunami warnings were instantly issued in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Burma, Thailand, the Maldives,  Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia, Oman, Iran, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore. In the Indonesian city of Banda Aceh, terrified residents screamed God is great' as they jumped into cars and the backs of motorcycles, clogging streets as they fled to high ground. Buildings shook for four minutes and there were reports of people jumping from windows in a desperate attempt to escape. Patients also poured out of hospitals, some with drips still attached to their arms. In some places, electricity was briefly cut. There were also scenes of panic in Bangalore, India and Columbo in Sri Lanka as terrified people fled their homes and offices. Then, two hours later, a massive aftershock with a similarly huge magnitude of 8.2 struck only 110 miles further out to sea, unleashing even more panic. Tsunami waves, measuring 3ft in height, hit Sumatra, the island Aceh is on. But experts discovered that both quakes were the wrong type to issue a disaster and the warnings were lifted. Roger Musson, seismologist at the British geological survey who has studied Sumatra's fault lines, said the earthquake was a strikeslip quake. The tsunami triggering 9.1magnitude earthquake of seven years go - which killed 230,000 people, three quarters of whom lived in Aceh - was a thrust quake, which causes the sea bed to flip up. There are still warnings in place across the coast of Africa. The earthquakes occurred as Prime Minister David Cameron visited Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, which is 1,600 miles south-east of Aceh and on a different island, Java. No tremors were felt there. He told President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono: Our thoughts should be with those who are affected. Britain of course stands ready to help if help is required. We will stand with you and your government and your people at this time of worry. There were also reports of the water level dropping in the Thai resort of Phuket a sign that the sea is drawing back in preparation to launch an enormous wave. A tsunami watch means there is the potential for a tsunami, not that one is imminent. Since 2004 such warnings are issued after every earthquake in the Pacific. Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity. Last year's devastating tsunami in Japan was triggered by an earthquake with a similar hypocentre depth 20 miles below the surface. The earthquake that struck off the coast of Aceh today has chilling parallels with the disaster that obliterated the region on Boxing Day, 2004. More than 230,000 thousand people were killed by the resulting tsunami that swept inland and washed away homes. A further 250,000 people were injured by the catastrophe, which was the sixth deadliest ever recorded. But so unpredictable is the whim of nature that todays earthquake despite being almost as powerful has not had the same fatal effects. The tsunami that struck in the Indian Ocean in 2004, was caused by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake. Today's earthquake measures 8.7 on the Richter scale. (C)AP, DM.

So what do you think about it? Not quite as big as the 2004 quake, but who knows - it could still be worse.

[Mikal]

Is that civilians helping to guide traffic in the video?  :conf:

[SafetyMoose]

I still dont understand why people insist on living in disaster prone areas of the planet but... meh, the price you pay for paradise?

[Gandalf]

I still dont understand why people insist on living in disaster prone areas of the planet but... meh, the price you pay for paradise?

You tell me... I heard Canada is pretty much a disaster area paradise

[SafetyMoose]

You tell me... I heard Canada is pretty much a disaster area paradise

Oh Gandalf, you know I mean paradise in the sense of tropical beaches and such  . Canada being the best place in the world is a given

[Sphex]

I still dont understand why people insist on living in disaster prone areas of the planet but... meh, the price you pay for paradise?

Yes, because everyone from Indonesia, Japan, India, Bangladesh etc are just going to y'know, get up and move country, right? Oh, they can move further in land? Wait, they can't because of mountainous regions. People may live in disaster prone regions of this earth, but there isn't much they can do about it.

[ElMartu]

I still dont understand why people insist on living in disaster prone areas of the planet but... meh, the price you pay for paradise?

It's not like they fucking chose to be born in there.

[Devin]

It's not like they f**king chose to be born in there.

This,
it's not like everyone can just packup and move to a country of their choice.

[SafetyMoose]

This,
it's not like everyone can just packup and move to a country of their choice.

Populations need to develop. People had to arrive there to create cities in the first place...

[Sphex]

Populations need to develop. People had to arrive there to create cities in the first place...

They have developed to the best of their ability. They have earthquake and tsunami warning instruments in place, and that is the best they can do. You try stop a tsunami in a way that is applicable to what could be considered a second world country. You have to remember, not all countries are as developed as western civilisations, South East Asia/part of Oceanica have suffered from disasters like this for years. It's the same with Bangladesh  - that country is essentially a massive flood plain yet people still live there are are flooded year after year, and these aren't the kind of floods you can stop with a few sandbags. Ever wonder why they build their houses on stilts?
It's the same in first world countries too, people still have huge housing developments on flood plains near rivers and near the oceans. Why? Because the land is cheap and a development can be built easily, there is also no room in other locations as many major towns and cities now have "green belts" on their edges restricting any building development.

[Devin]

Populations need to develop. People had to arrive there to create cities in the first place...

Thank you for your contribution to this topic,
I now have an answer for every time I see a story about people in America/Canada being injured in natural disasters like tornadoes for example.

[Sphex]

Thank you for your contribution to this topic,
I now have an answer for every time I see a story about people in America being injured in natural disasters like tornadoes for example.

If only the forum had some sort of like feature.

[SafetyMoose]

Thank you for your contribution to this topic,
I now have an answer for every time I see a story about people in America/Canada being injured in natural disasters like tornadoes for example.

I also think its dumb people live in those areas that are frequently plagued with disasters also. Also, Canada is not in Tornado Alley so thats a bad example.

[Mikal]

I also think its dumb people live in those areas that are frequently plagued with disasters also. Also, Canada is not in Tornado Alley so thats a bad example.

I agree with Moose, if people don't want to die in these disaster areas, pack up and get the fuck out...

[Devin]

The tornado example was in reference to America.