Diego Garcia, Was It Hit, Did It Survive?

[Frank_2001]

Probably one of those secret Skull and Bones/Freemason designed tsunami deflector mechanisms;)

[Shellback Chuck]

Sailors and even tidal waves dread "The Rock".

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

"Apparently, since it resides in such deep waters, the earthquake force did not generate tsunamis there.

Sorry, that's not going to turn out to be the explanation for the lack of damage there. It flat out doesn't make sense and doesn't correlate well with tsunamis affecting other deepwater coasts and islands."

What other deep water coasts and islands?

Even if deep water is close to the areas, you have to have shallow waters next to the island in order for the water energy to raise a high wave.

[rwfromkansas]

Well, I just went with the explanation as well since what else could be the explanation and the poster who said it initially seemed to know it was fact.

But, the more I think about it, I agree....it doesn't make much sense.

Near the island, there is a reef and shallower water in the reef.....would not the tsunami rise up because of this?

The reef may have protected the island and bore the brunt of the tsunami.

[rwfromkansas]

Look at this.....this is just STUNNING:

Here is an interesting selection of satellite photos of the tsunami as it hits Sri Lanka. Credit: Digital Globe.

Sea pulled outward: http://www.digitalglobe.com/images/qb/srilanka_kalutara_beach2_dec26_2004_dg.jpg

Tsumami hits....look at this!!!!:http://www.digitalglobe.com/images/qb/srilanka_kalutara_flood_dec26_2004_dg.jpg

Just incredible...and very close up shots of what happened...look at the swirling!

[Howlin]

The most amazing part is that the water never went back out.

[Yaelle]

AMAZING photos. Thanks for posting those.

[Yaelle]

Getting up to that height it reminds me of waves on a mini scale, like digging a little moat on a beach and having a wave knock down your castle and flood your moat. A small wave quickly flows back out to sea and sinks right into the sand. A huge wave will bring enough water to create a little lagoon that might stay put for a while, which is probably how actual lagoons started. I suppose many of the towns and resorts BECAME the lagoons for a while. So sad.

[JSteff]

Very interesting and informative post. Sort of how I always pictured it.. just bigger.

Great post, thanks.

[JSteff]

"affecting other deepwater coasts and islands"

Oh yeah? Not to be smart, but name one and where it is. Diego Garcia is different from almost anywhere else.

[RaceBannon]

Unhurt, Doc!

[Sulmona]

My daughter is stationed on DG as an air traffic controller. When we first talked to her on Sunday she told us that the earthquake was felt in the tower but other than that there was nothing else to report. It seemed odd to us because she didn't even seem to have a grasp of how huge this event was. However last night when we spoke with her she told us that as the air traffic starting getting heavier regarding the relief efforts people started asking a lot of questions and they were brought up to speed about the devastation. Later the British had investigated the platation side of the island and found that it was completed wiped out. Apparently sitting on top of an old volcano helps, but doesn't leave the island totally unscathed. So yes, Diego Garcia did sustain damage, but only on the unpopulated platation side which is off limits to everyone.