Menu
18/03/2005
Tsunami hit area could be hit again - UU
The stresses in the earth’s crust which have resulted from the South East Asia earthquake and subsequent tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 have significantly increased the risk of another large earthquake in the already-devastated Indonesian island of Sumatra, new research findings by scientists from the University of Ulster’s School of Environmental Sciences have revealed.
According to their calculations, published in this week’s edition of leading scientific journal Nature, the Christmas 2004 earthquake which generated the massive tsunami which hit Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka and killed 300,000 people, has significantly increased the stress on two other fault zones in the area - one of them running directly under the city of Banda Aceh which was so badly effected by the Boxing day event - the other under the sea off the west coast of Sumatra.
This undersea fault line could generate another tsunami if there is another significant geological shift.
“Our results show a stress increase of up to 5 bars in the Sunda trench next to the rupture zone, and a strong positive loading of 9 bars for 300km of the Sumatra fault,” said team leader Professor John McCloskey.
“We have all heard that lightning does not strike twice in the same place, but earthquakes do. One of the strongest observations in seismology is that earthquakes cluster in space and time. Where you have one earthquake you are likely to have others.”
In the wake of their findings, the UU team said they were adding their voices to the calls for a tsunami early-warning system to be put in place in the Indian Ocean as a matter of urgency.
“The loss of much of the life in the December earthquake was avoidable,” Professor McCloskey said. “The science is well understood, the warning systems are in place in the Pacific region. The levels of preparedness, public awareness and education in this region are high and do save lives.
"Unfortunately the people of the Indian Ocean region have neither benefited from this knowledge nor from the available technology,” he added.
(MB/SP)
According to their calculations, published in this week’s edition of leading scientific journal Nature, the Christmas 2004 earthquake which generated the massive tsunami which hit Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka and killed 300,000 people, has significantly increased the stress on two other fault zones in the area - one of them running directly under the city of Banda Aceh which was so badly effected by the Boxing day event - the other under the sea off the west coast of Sumatra.
This undersea fault line could generate another tsunami if there is another significant geological shift.
“Our results show a stress increase of up to 5 bars in the Sunda trench next to the rupture zone, and a strong positive loading of 9 bars for 300km of the Sumatra fault,” said team leader Professor John McCloskey.
“We have all heard that lightning does not strike twice in the same place, but earthquakes do. One of the strongest observations in seismology is that earthquakes cluster in space and time. Where you have one earthquake you are likely to have others.”
In the wake of their findings, the UU team said they were adding their voices to the calls for a tsunami early-warning system to be put in place in the Indian Ocean as a matter of urgency.
“The loss of much of the life in the December earthquake was avoidable,” Professor McCloskey said. “The science is well understood, the warning systems are in place in the Pacific region. The levels of preparedness, public awareness and education in this region are high and do save lives.
"Unfortunately the people of the Indian Ocean region have neither benefited from this knowledge nor from the available technology,” he added.
(MB/SP)
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
15 June 2005
UU research group predicts further Asian earthquake
A University of Ulster research group which correctly predicted an earthquake in the same region as the Boxing Say tsunami tragedy, has said a further quake in the area could again occur. Stress changes due to the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake of 26 December 2004 triggered the 28 March 8.
UU research group predicts further Asian earthquake
A University of Ulster research group which correctly predicted an earthquake in the same region as the Boxing Say tsunami tragedy, has said a further quake in the area could again occur. Stress changes due to the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake of 26 December 2004 triggered the 28 March 8.
14 November 2024
Traffic Warning For South Belfast Ahead Of Northern Ireland Match
Road users are advised to plan for potential traffic delays in the south Belfast area on Friday, 15th November due to the UEFA Nations League football match between Northern Ireland and Belarus. The match will take place at Windsor Park, kicking off at 7.45pm, and it is expected that around 18,000 supporters will attend.
Traffic Warning For South Belfast Ahead Of Northern Ireland Match
Road users are advised to plan for potential traffic delays in the south Belfast area on Friday, 15th November due to the UEFA Nations League football match between Northern Ireland and Belarus. The match will take place at Windsor Park, kicking off at 7.45pm, and it is expected that around 18,000 supporters will attend.
14 March 2011
Ireland Aids Japan Over Earthquake Chaos
President Mary McAleese has conveyed her sympathies to Emperor Akihito of Japan after the massive earthquake that sparked tsunami warnings across the Pacific. Japanese authorities now fear the death toll could be in the tens of thousands.
Ireland Aids Japan Over Earthquake Chaos
President Mary McAleese has conveyed her sympathies to Emperor Akihito of Japan after the massive earthquake that sparked tsunami warnings across the Pacific. Japanese authorities now fear the death toll could be in the tens of thousands.
16 November 2023
New Spaces And Places To Redefine Belfast City Region
A new initiative to drive the development of new spaces and places that sustainably boost employment, improve tourism and cultural infrastructure, deliver homes and support community and neighbourhood regeneration has been announced, with the redefinition of the Belfast City Region.
New Spaces And Places To Redefine Belfast City Region
A new initiative to drive the development of new spaces and places that sustainably boost employment, improve tourism and cultural infrastructure, deliver homes and support community and neighbourhood regeneration has been announced, with the redefinition of the Belfast City Region.
19 May 2023
NI Students Collect 12 Medals At 2023 SkillBuild Finals
Students from Southern Regional College have collected a total of twelve medals at the SkillBuild NI Finals 2023 held by The Construction Industry Training Board NI (CITB NI).
NI Students Collect 12 Medals At 2023 SkillBuild Finals
Students from Southern Regional College have collected a total of twelve medals at the SkillBuild NI Finals 2023 held by The Construction Industry Training Board NI (CITB NI).
-
Northern Ireland WeatherToday:Scattered showers of rain, sleet and, over hills, snow in the morning with sunny spells, the best of these in the south. The showers dying out this afternoon with increasing amounts of sunshine. Occasionally fresh westerly or northwesterly winds easing. Maximum temperature 6 °C.Tonight:Clear start with a fairly widespread frost developing. Increasing cloud brings occasionally heavy rain overnight, preceded, especially over western hills, briefly by snow. Occasional southeasterly gales, severe near coasts, developing. Minimum temperature -2 °C.
