Tsunami

[Giant Communist Robot]

Here in Hawaii people in low lying areas have been advised to seek shelter, so I am headed to Starbuck's. I wanted to go to the beach today but now I don't have to, it will come to me. There are long lines at the grocery store--Safeway is having a sale on cinnamon rolls.

[Haggis@wk]

Here in Hawaii people in low lying areas have been advised to seek shelter, so I am headed to Starbuck's. I wanted to go to the beach today but now I don't have to, it will come to me. There are long lines at the grocery store--Safeway is having a sale on cinnamon rolls.

I heard there arre long lines at the gas stations, Starbucks must be mobbed!!! Isn't that "Crisis Center" in a disaster in Paradise?

[Giant Communist Robot]

On a serious note, our power stations are near the water and we may be without electricity for a several days. I live in the foothills so water damage is not a issue, but without electricity we can't cook and will run out of food eventually. Water is an issue, too. I've got some ready for drinking and a few buckets to use for cleaning ourselves, the toilet, etc. I told the kids to charge up their Nintendo DS's. I've got some books to read.

[Haggis@wk]

On a serious note, our power stations are near the water and we may be without electricity for a several days. I live in the foothills so water damage is not a issue, but without electricity we can't cook and will run out of food eventually. Water is an issue, too. I've got some ready for drinking and a few buckets to use for cleaning ourselves, the toilet, etc. I told the kids to charge up their Nintendo DS's. I've got some books to read.

I was just listening to the radio and they are calling for 3 meters waves in New Zealand. I hope Dai is up on a hill. I have some film my father took of a tsunami in 1946. He said people treated like a lark and many were hurt/killed after going down to the beaches to watch. I'd expect you to have an emergency kit, do you?

[dai bread]

Thanks for the kind thoughts, Haggis. Cambridge is well inland, so nothing short of an asteroid will cause a wave that will reach me.

Tidal surges of up to a metre have been reported, but there aren't any waves as such. Civil Defence is warning that waves may follow up to 12 hours behind the first surge, so the beaches are still closed and coastal sporting events cancelled. All the big ships have left Auckland Harbour and gone out to sea. I haven't seen anything about the airport, which is as close to sea level as you can get without running seaplanes, and is on the edge of a harbour as well. So is Wellington airport, where they sank an aircraft carrier between two islands to make an airport. (j/k)

The Chileans appear to have escaped relatively lightly compared to the devastation in Haiti. They are obviously better builders, as their earthquake was much stronger.

[BigJon]

Chile had the worst earthquake in record about 60 years ago. Thankfully they didn't forget the painful lesson of that one and have built up their cities to be very earthquake resistant. Also the earthquake was centered in the ocean, which limited land damage somewhat.

[jamiebk]

I was at Monterey CA scuba diving when the strange sets of waves came in. It was thelittle bit of the tsunami that made it here. While it was only a couple of feet, the wave action as I exited the water changed dramatically. It was only afterward that I found out that it was indeed the Tsunami...or what was left of it.

[Haggis@wk]

I was at Monterey CA scuba diving when the strange sets of waves came in. It was thelittle bit of the tsunami that made it here. While it was only a couple of feet, the wave action as I exited the water changed dramatically. It was only afterward that I found out that it was indeed the Tsunami...or what was left of it.

There was a story following the Boxing Day Tsunami of a pair of divers who were underwater when the Tsunami passed them by but apparently took their boat quite a distance away.

[jamiebk]

I was at Monterey CA scuba diving when the strange sets of waves came in. It was thelittle bit of the tsunami that made it here. While it was only a couple of feet, the wave action as I exited the water changed dramatically. It was only afterward that I found out that it was indeed the Tsunami...or what was left of it.

There was a story following the Boxing Day Tsunami of a pair of divers who were underwater when the Tsunami passed them by but apparently took their boat quite a distance away.

Yeah Haggis, it could do that. The effect is quite different topside -vs- under the water. No matter what the wave, there is still a strong swell. It also matters how far you are from shore which is where the breaking wave hits.

I have to say, it was really strange to see the 2-4 "sets" of waves come in. I could see the swells approaching and the effect of them hitting the shoreline was quite pronounced compared to the wave conditions preceeding and following the event. It was not severe, but we would not have been able to negotiate a shore exit while the waves were hitting, even though they were only a few feet. They were very strong "breakers" with a heavy curling action that kind of sucked your feet out from under you. I was on shore as it happened, awaiting the other divers who were still surface swimming in. I could see them rolling over the swells.