Tsunami Wipes Out Villages in South Pacific (Slideshow of damage at WSJ)

Wall Street Journal ^ | SEPTEMBER 30, 2009, 10:50 A.M. ET | staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Disaster Highlights Challenge of Establishing Effective Warning Systems

See link for slides....

[ConservativeMind]

It looks like the “Google” boat was grounded.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Author is Patrick Barta :

**********************************EXCERPT****************************

Victims of the tsunami that swept across the South Pacific had only minutes to escape the deadly waves and in some cases didn't receive alerts of danger, despite years of work to upgrade early-warning systems across the region.

At least 99 people were killed and dozens left missing by the tsunami, which inundated tourist resorts and local villages after a massive 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Samoa early Tuesday morning local time. Disaster authorities warned the death toll could rise significantly over the next few days as the full scale of the disaster – much of which occurred in remote areas – is assessed.

[beethovenfan]

Somebody is bound to say...”See? More evidence of global warming!”

[pillut48]

Did President Obama EVER acknowledge that Georgia has had major floods and that he’s going to fly down there in support of the citizens suffering from these terrible floods?? I haven’t seen or heard any mention of this on the news reports, but maybe he’s trying to stay in the background so he doesn’t distract from recovery efforts...

Yeah, right. This fellow can’t stand for a day to go by unless he’s in front of a camera!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Slides include pictures from other areas than just Samoa....

[BertWheeler]

Bummer.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I don’t know what kind of “early warning system” will help when the earthquake is just miles from shore.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I’m thinking the 5 minutes of shaking ground could have warned them.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

If the ground is shaking that much,...might be tough to stay upright and run for higher ground.

[ErnBatavia]

He sent Slow Joe ... I think he and MO had a date night scheduled.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

In case you haven't seen this video from one village...it certainly shows the damage and the cleanup activities underway...FR Thread with link:

Amateur Footage from American Samoa Reveals Widespread Destruction (UNCUT VIDEO)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See #12...

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks. Have seen plenty on the boob tube broadcasts.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Ernest.

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