Tsunami

Table of Contents

Table of Contents 1

Introduction: 2

Impact to human life: 3

Impact to Non-human life: 4

Impact to the Environment: 7

Impact to the Economy: 8

American Red Cross Assistance: 9

Conclusion: 13

Bibliography: 14

Introduction:

A massive Tsunami (Japanese for "Harbor wave") had hit southern Asia the day after Christmas 2004. The cause of the Tsunami was an offshore earthquake that results in the tectonic plates being displaced and the creation of a vertical shift in the ocean floor. This vertical shift lead to a large volume of water being uplifted and turned to create a huge wave that traveled up to 300 miles per hour, gradually slowing as it reached the shore. At that time, people in the coastal areas were not aware of the terror that they were about to endure. They received no warnings of the tsunami. Unfortunately, 10 meters of the wave caught many people by surprise, as they looked dumfounded when the ocean engulfed them whole. To date this disaster is believed to have killed over three hundred thousand people, marking itself as one of the most devastating Tsunamis ever. The waves from the Tsunami destroyed everything in their path and drowned most innocent living things with it. It has now been concluded that the earthquake, which caused this Tsunami, was probably twice as strong as originally estimated - a magnitude 9.15 instead of 9.0. Much of the slippage along the fault is believed to have taken place as much as a half an hour after the initial quake and continued up to three hours afterward. Additionally, it is feared that earthquake could continue to affect the region for many years and could trigger more large quakes (Eric P H Yap, 2005).

It is believe that some areas were harder hit, by the Tsunami's strength, than others due to coastal commercial development. The development of coastal areas damages or totally destroys much of the surrounding coral reefs. Certain areas, such as in the Maldives, still have a network of coral reefs and intact mangroves that may have protected the island from the open sea. "Poorly planned coastal development has compounded the impact of the tsunami," said Mubariq Ahmad, Head of WWF Indonesia. "It is vital that we don't make the mistakes of the past. We need to rebuild in a sustainable and safe way (Le Tourneau Gore, 2005)."

Impact to human life:

The areas of South Asia that were hardest hit consist mainly of poor countries. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand were the most affected areas in this terrible disaster. These countries had neither the proper disaster warning systems nor any type of acceptable emergency shelters. Additionally, they did not have an ample number of hospitals, medicines, supplies of food and enough shelters to care for the survivors of the tsunami. Therefore the wounded died suffering infections, hunger and depression and left thousands possibly missing. The tsunami washed parts of countries away leaving the inhabitants in total devastation. Though, the worst is yet to come. It has been found that people are now drinking from tainted water supplies, since the fact that many resources or cargoes were unable to reach the people in a timely manner. The need for clean water is pressing. Health officials say that cases of diarrhea illness were reported across the areas of South Asia. The World Health Organization predicated that about five million survivors of the calamity are at the risk of getting infections from the disease (Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, 2005). Volunteers attempting to treat the survivors are still struggling to provide the necessary help across all the nations affected. In addition to the diarrhea illnesses, there are major concerns about other illnesses such as cholera and typhoid. People can become infected very easily with the consumption of tainted food and water. Once infected, the individual can suffer form diarrhea, dehydration, and eventually death. Other illnesses such as respiratory malfunction including pneumonia are prone to occur among adolescents as well as seniors. In the mean time, medical relief agencies distributed some water purification tablets that sanitize the seawater. Already, the World Health Organization is sending engineers to fix the sewage and contaminated wells. Others are attempting to educate the people about the need for proper hygiene. With the amazing assistance from around the globe, those who survived have a great chance of surviving this catastrophe.

The unforgiving tsunami that stretched across numerous Asian countries not only destroyed the human life in its path, but additionally has left its mark on the environment as well. The saltwater that has flooded thousands of the countries' farms has contaminated the soil to the point that is totally useless for the production of crops. Authorities warn that rice paddies, fruit plantations, and other farms may take 10 years to be productive again (Michael VanRooyen, Jennifer Leaning, 2005). International aid agencies have, for the past 20 years, been digging wells throughout these countries in an effort to stop the spread of diseases, such as cholera, that are transmitted by contaminated water. These wells are now flooded with salt water rendering them totally useless for human consumption. Experts estimate that it may take as long as two to three years to flush these wells thoroughly enough to produce safe drinking water (Anonymous, 2005).

Impact to Non-human life:

The impact of the December tsunamis in South Asia on animals, marine life, and their ecosystems was tremendous as well. Coastal ecosystems (coral reefs, mangroves, sea grasses, and estuarine mudflats) took significant damage to their structure and function which affects to the habitat in which marine animals and even land animals live. The force of the wave itself has most likely damaged physical structures, as indicated by early assessments of the tsunami (www.oceanatlas.org). These habitats will take several months to several years to recover from the damage (www.noaa.gov). Chemical changes have included saltwater intrusion, eutrophication of the water resulting from increased runoff, raw sewage, and decomposition of animal and plant life including un-recovered bodies. Leftover timber from buildings, mangroves, and fishing boats that have washed into the ocean will also produce chemical change in the water. Additionally,