Caribbean has right conditions for tsunami

A major tsunami in the Caribbean would be absolutely devastating. Not only to all the people who live along the coasts, but the economic consequences would be disastrous, where would all the cruise ships go? all the tourism, which the Caribbean heavily relies on. This is pretty damn scary. I hope plans are made ASAP for a warning system in this area, hopefully it would cover Florida and the Gulf states too.

Caribbean has right conditions for tsunami
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico · Scientists predict killer tsunamis could strike the Caribbean, which lacks a warning system even though its seabed is gouged by some of the world's deepest trenches, where the giant waves can be generated by tectonic activity, and its low-lying islands are heavily populated along their coastlines.

The last tsunami struck the Caribbean in 1946, before island populations skyrocketed, major construction dotted shorelines and the region developed into a prized tourist destination attracting 17 million visitors last year.

The Caribbean is a very dangerous place for tsunamis," said Uri ten Brink, a U.S. Geological Survey geologist in Woods Hole, Mass., and co-author of an article on the threat in the Journal of Geophysical Research. "The Caribbean needs a tsunami warning system."

The article was published two days before a Dec. 26 earthquake under the Indian Ocean generated a tsunami that killed at least 157,000 in 11 nations. The quake occurred along the long north-south fault in the Earth's crust where the edge of the Indian tectonic plate dives below the Burma plate, forming the Sunda Trench.

That trench is about 25,000 feet deep.

The Puerto Rico Trench -- one of the deepest in the world at 27,355 feet -- is a 560-mile-long underwater canyon and fault line running parallel to this U.S. island territory and east of the Lesser Antilles islands.

Seismic tensions in the Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and Cayman trenches ringing the Caribbean force tectonic plates to sink under one another as they collide, producing earthquakes, underwater landslides or tsunamis.

also interesting, I have noticed earthquake activity in the region, don't know if it is more than normal though, but the way things are going, I say it's better to be safe than sorry.


[edit on 1-21-2005 by worldwatcher]

I agree, ww. It is "better to be safe than sorry" for anywhere. There really isn't any good reason to not have monitors that could ultimately save lives.

Interesting article, worldwatcher.
I would imagine such a tsunami could impact Florida and parts of the US coastline? Depending on where the quake occurred?

Also, 1946 + 50 = 1006. So, the area is overdue for a major earthquake. But, then so is the West Coast.

Yep, I've read about it in the newspaper today. Definately something to keep into consideration, although it's not likely that anything will happen soon.

Tsunami in Asia, so you must plan all over for a tsunami, but nevermind the trillions of other things that could happen, it's all about tsunami's now. If you could look into the future and see, instead of acting when it's TOO LATE, as it is with Asia!