The Great wave

My heart goes out to all the people who lost their loved ones in this immense tragedy. The lack of an early monitoring system really upsets me. What is the use of technology, when it cannot be used to save human lives? Basically, it meant installing tidal gauges along with seismic monitoring stations. Tidal gauges are used by oceanographers to collect regular daily data about the intensity and height of waves and tides. A measuring device, floating in a well accessible from the shore, transmits the data electronically via phone lines. Seismic monitoring systems are used for recroding relative ground movement. These two instruments, coupled with a GIS system can help discern the movement of an unusal wave front (immediately following a seismic event), would have given enough time to warn the people (atleast a 3-4 hour margin). The plea that such events had not occured in the past in the Indian ocean is, IMO, no excuse for being totally unprepared for such a catastrophe.

My holidays have not been too happy after seeing the gruesome images from the event. :(