Posted on 11/05/2013 5:47:57 AM PST by Uncle Chip
A floating island of debris the size of Texas has been crossing the vast Pacific Ocean to the western shores of the Americas since a devastating tsunami inundated Japan in 2011, says a new study.
Five million tons of wreckage - the remains of homes, boats, and other remnants of shattered lives in eastern Japan - were swallowed by the ocean that day in March, and more than one million tons of flotsam continues to head towards the west coast of the US.....
While the first documented debris from the tragedy has already been found in California, scientists fear these new findings mean there could be a lot more to come and it might arrive all at once.
Some of the more mobile items have been documented as washing up on the coast of California as early as 2011. In April, a 20ft boat ran aground at Crescent City, California. It was formally identified as a boat that belonged to the marine sciences program at Takata High School in the city of Rikuzentakata.
In all, 27 items from among more than 1,600 reports of debris have been firmly traced back to the tsunami, NOAA spokeswoman Keeley Belva said. The confirmed items include a small boat found in Hawaii waters, large docks that have washed ashore in Washington state and Oregon, and a motorcycle that washed ashore off the coast of British Columbia.
A soccer ball found on an Alaska island with a student's name on it was also traced to the city of Rikuzentakata. But distinguishing everyday trash from tsunami debris has proven difficult in most other cases......
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The Japanese finally get to invade the U.S.
The beach heads will be codenamed Toyota, Honda and Sony.
Um OK, one would think a waste debris field the size of TX might make the Nightly news, complete with photo evidence.
Very misleading headline. I believe what is meant is a “Texas Sized Debris Field”, which is an awful lot different than “Texas sized Island of Debris.” Just take the stated tonnage from the article and divide that by the square milage of Texas to get a feel for how dispersed the debris really is.
I hope millions and millions of tons of rubbish land smack dab into the pristine coastal waters of California, Oregon and Washington states. Would love to see tons of toxic sewage go into San Fransisco Bay. I loath the people in the left coast, spit.
“Debris field the size of Texas” equates to an extremely sparse debris field. First, only one coastal area of Japan was hit. Second, only the debris taken out to sea counts. Third, only the debris than can float for 2 years counts.
So, what have we got? Probably a bit of plastic every mile or so.
This is a million billion times worse than I could imagine.
LOL
Why can’t the EcoTards row out there and clean it up?
We love you too.
There is a rumor that Kevin Costner and Dennis Hopper are trying to battle it out, but they can't find each other, and Hopper is running out of cigarettes.
Is it radioactive?
What did I do to make you so angry and petulant?
X2
Is all of that a hazmat nightmare headed to the USA?
"Wilson!"
And a cheery good morning to you too! ;o)
Perfect! enjoy Calfornia
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