GREAT NEWS: Indian government develops ability to predict earthquakes and Tsunamis
In less than a week's time since a big earthquake-created Tsunami wave hit coastal India, the Indian government has developed a first-of-its-kind technology to predict Tsunamis triggered off by yet-to-happen earthquakes anywhere on planet.
OK. Enough. I'm not in the mood for more sarcasm. The facts are bad enough.
Yesterday, some mahanubhavulu ("great person") in the Union Home Ministry put out a warning that another Tsunami was set to hit southern coastline. While no Tsunami arrived (naturally), the idiot announcement triggered off widespread panic among people and tremendous loss in business productivity.
In Chennai, offices near the beach were closed down since mid-morning and roads leading to the marina were blocked off by the police. With wild rumours floating across the city - about how waters had invaded Dr.Radhakrishnan Road, Mandavelli, etc. - even well-educated people living 3-4 kilometers away from the beach moved in with their relatives in "safer" areas of the city!
It is quite well known that aftershocks follow most major earthquakes and can occur up to a week after the main one strikes. But the main point is that these aftershocks are very rarely anywhere near as powerful as the original. (The aftershocks felt in Andaman & Nicobar islands since the big one on Sunday have been on the 5-7 range.) So, it was quite safe to assume that Thursday's "officially predicted" (ordered??) Tsunami could at worst cause as much damage as the big one. And hence, there was no need for people in Mylapore to move to T.Nagar.
Will the government employee(s) who caused so much damage will lose even lose a day's salary as penalty? The chances of a earthquake or Tsunami hitting us again are much higher than that.
OK. Enough. I'm not in the mood for more sarcasm. The facts are bad enough.
Yesterday, some mahanubhavulu ("great person") in the Union Home Ministry put out a warning that another Tsunami was set to hit southern coastline. While no Tsunami arrived (naturally), the idiot announcement triggered off widespread panic among people and tremendous loss in business productivity.
In Chennai, offices near the beach were closed down since mid-morning and roads leading to the marina were blocked off by the police. With wild rumours floating across the city - about how waters had invaded Dr.Radhakrishnan Road, Mandavelli, etc. - even well-educated people living 3-4 kilometers away from the beach moved in with their relatives in "safer" areas of the city!
It is quite well known that aftershocks follow most major earthquakes and can occur up to a week after the main one strikes. But the main point is that these aftershocks are very rarely anywhere near as powerful as the original. (The aftershocks felt in Andaman & Nicobar islands since the big one on Sunday have been on the 5-7 range.) So, it was quite safe to assume that Thursday's "officially predicted" (ordered??) Tsunami could at worst cause as much damage as the big one. And hence, there was no need for people in Mylapore to move to T.Nagar.
Will the government employee(s) who caused so much damage will lose even lose a day's salary as penalty? The chances of a earthquake or Tsunami hitting us again are much higher than that.
posted by Arun Natarajan at 10:50 PM
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