Sunday, December 24, 2006

Crescent City’s ’64 tsunami - February 3, 2005

Crescent City’s ’64 tsunami - February 3, 2005: "Four-and-a-half hours later, the tsunami reached 2,000 miles south to tiny Crescent City — it would be hardest hit. It created scenes that looked on a small scale much like those of the December tsunami in the East Indian Ocean. Sleeping residents found themselves awash in monstrous waves, tossed like corks under the light of a full moon.

'Everything that happened on a larger scale in the East Indian Ocean,' Powers says. 'From the water to the way some buildings deflected it, the surge over shallow areas, the short- term problems of food and water and sewage — no electricity, no transportation, no banking, no nothing.'

Today’s tsunami warning system did not exist. Late that night a few reports had trickled down from Alaska and Washington, but the waves moved about as fast as the news. Most townspeople were home in bed. Others were partying in taverns. One woman in Crescent City heard about the tsunami when she talked on the phone to her husband, who was in Medford, and he said he’d heard something about a tidal wave on a Medford radio station."

1964 Alaskan Tsunami

1964 Alaskan Tsunami: "Oregon was also hit hard by the tsunami, which killed four people and caused an estimated 750,000 to one million dollars in damage to bridges, houses, car, boats, and sea walls. The greatest tsunami damage in Oregon did not occure not along the ocean front as one might expect, but in the estuary channels located further inland, where those with the correct bathymitry actually amplified the wave tsunami wave heights. Of the communities effected, Seaside, struck by a 10-foot wave, was the hardest hit. Tsunami wave heights reached 10 to 11.5 feet in the Nehalem River, 10 to 11.5 feet at Depoe Bay, 11.5 feet at Newport, 10 to 11 feet at Florence, 11 feet at Reedsport, 11 feet at Brookings, and 14 feet at Coos Bay."

Thursday, December 21, 2006

U.S. To Upgrade Tsunami Alert System, President Bush Signs Bill To Revamp Warning Apparatus - CBS News

U.S. To Upgrade Tsunami Alert System, President Bush Signs Bill To Revamp Warning Apparatus - CBS News: "The 680-mile-long Cascadia subduction zone lies off the coasts of Washington and Oregon and is similar in size and geologic character to the fault that caused the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The last major Cascadia quake occurred 300 years ago and hit the West Coast with an estimated 30-foot high ocean surge.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates a 10 percent to 14 percent chance of another major Cascadia quake within the next 50 years. A tsunami generated in the subduction zone or in Washington's Puget Sound would allow for a warning of less than 20 minutes, which makes tsunami education and efficient evacuation plans essential, Cantwell said.
"

Friday, December 08, 2006

LVH CERT NEWS:
a note from ron thomas to North Lincoln County CERT.. here is one of the things we have set up due mostly to serve the problem of older folks who need oxygen generators in the park in case of power failure..

pictures by Ed Simon

This has been a hallmark week for the LVH CERT team. On Wednesday Greg Pfalmer brought his motorhome to the clubhouse where the entire team participated in a hands on training session. We are confident that every team member can hook up and start the generator and knows all of the safety features and where the circuit breakers and GFI reset buttons are. The unit is capable of 6500watts or 65 amps. This was explained and how not to overload the generator.

We have one more person in the park offering the use of a portable generator and we will be getting with him soon to learn the "how to" on that unit. Meanwhile Greg has made his unit available whenever it is in the park.

Greg Pfalmer's motorhome with the generator enclosure open.

The LVH CERT Team inspects the generator control s.

Generator control.

Greg educates the team on what to do to turn on the generator.

Greg says, "This is the Fuel Primer".

Here we see which control does which job.

Six minutes after the generator starts you have power on this outside outlet unless the GFI is tripped inside next to the shower.

Here is the circuit breaker inside ..underneath the bed.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Ancient Tsunami Smashed Europe, Middle East, Study Says

Ancient Tsunami Smashed Europe, Middle East, Study Says: "Some ten percent of tsunamis worldwide occur in the Mediterranean.

The most recent volcano-triggered tsunami was caused by a landslide on the Italian island of Stromboli in the Tyrrhenian Sea in 2002.

The volume of the landslide 'was however a thousand times smaller than the Mount Etna one,' Pareschi said.

A tsunami early warning system is currently being developed for the Mediterranean and the northeastern Atlantic. Due to become operational in December 2007, it will form part of a global tsunami warning system coordinated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)."

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Clinton warns on tsunami progress

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Clinton warns on tsunami progress: "Clinton warns on tsunami progress
Mr Clinton receives a garland during a visit to Phuket in Thailand
Mr Clinton has been visiting countries hit by the tsunami
Former US President Bill Clinton has voiced concern at slow progress in rehousing those left homeless by the 2004 Asian tsunami.

Mr Clinton said that only about a third of those affected by the disaster were back in permanent housing. He said more action was needed."

Friday, December 01, 2006

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Indian Ocean tsunami warning system

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Indian Ocean tsunami warning system: "DETECTING A TSUNAMI

Seismic gauges can detect the earthquakes or volcanic eruptions which may cause a tsunami.

But as only a small proportion of strong earthquakes produce a tsunami, a warning system based solely on seismic data is prone to producing false alarms.

Other sea-based instruments are needed to help scientists decide if a tsunami has been triggered.

These fall into two main types: pressure recorders in the deep ocean and tide gauges monitoring sea-level at the coast."

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Tsunami buoy laid in Indian ocean

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Tsunami buoy laid in Indian ocean: "Tsunami buoy laid in Indian ocean
Tsunami buoy
The buoy uses satellite technology to send out warnings
The first of a planned network of tsunami early warning buoys is being laid in the Indian Ocean.

The buoy is being placed between Thailand and Sri Lanka, two of the countries worst-hit by the 2004 tsunami which killed more than 200,000 people.

The buoy, provided by the US, is able to detect sudden increases in pressure deep under the sea and give coastal communities early warning of a tsunami.

The US already operates a similar system in the Pacific Ocean.

The cost of the US-designed device is being shared by the US and Thailand."