Is India facing tsunami threat? What should be done to know about it?

On 11.4.2012, following a powerful earthquake in the Indian Ocean region, tsunami alerts were issued to countries surrounding the Indian Ocean, including India. But tsunami did not strike. Subsequently tsunami alert was withdrawn.

However, following a high magnitude earthquake in the same area, again tsunami alerts were issued. But, since tsunami failed to strike this time also, tsunami alert was withdrawn.

Particularly, as per the report of the Indian Tsunami Research, it was stated that half an hour post earthquake, the tsunami detection buoy reached the warning level, but as there was no significant change in the height of the waves, the tsunami alert was withdrawn after ninety six minutes and a report was issued to this effect.

An explanation was offered for the non‐occurrence of tsunami.

The earthquake in question occurred due to the rubbing of the edges of the tectonic plates which were moving sideways in the central part of the ocean floor in the Indian Continent. This did not cause the upward thrust of the sea water and hence tsunamis were not generated.

But the actual reason for the non‐ occurrence of tsunami is that the earthquake occurred only in the deep‐sea area.

Since the earthquake occurred only in the deep‐sea area, there was abundant water above the area where the earthquake occurred which was characterized by high pressure, this rendered the earthquake unable to push excess water upwards.

Until now, the tsunami‐causing earthquakes have been occurring only on sea floor ridge areas under the ocean.

Geologists have reported that the height of the tsunami waves generated by the earthquake on 11.4.2012 was just 2 cm. These waves were measured by the by the tide gauges which are used to measure the height of the ocean waves and a chart was drawn on the movement of these waves through computer models.

On the same day, after the earthquake, it took six to nine minutes to determine the exact place of its occurrence. It again took another six to seven minutes to know whether these earthquake were capable of producing a tsunami.

In short, a successful tsunami alert is considered to be the one which is issued at least fifteen minutes prior to its occurrence.

When tsunami was formed in Japan, tsunami alert was issued fifteen minutes before it struck and it is considered to be a successful tsunami alert now.

Moreover, as per the chart released on the advancement of tsunami waves formed as a result of the earthquake in the Indian Ocean region on 11.4.2012, it has been recorded that these tsunamis reached the Nicobar Islands situated in the region of the Andaman Group of Islands within one hour.

It is also recorded that after two hours, these waves had reached the northern part of the Andaman Islands. At the same time, there are also records that these waves had gone up to Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka also.

However, there is no information regarding these waves having a significant height.

Since these tsunamis have a height of just 1 cm in the center of the ocean and a distance of a hundred kilometers between one peak and another, tsunami waves cannot be identified in the mid‐ocean.

However, as the tsunami reaches the shore, its height increases considerably.

For example, the tsunami which shook the entire South Asia on 26.12.2006, had a height of thirty feet when it struck the Southernmost Region of the Andaman Islands.

The height of the waves not only increased, but these waves entered the interior parts of the islands too. So, by erecting surveillance towers fitted with surveillance cameras in the seashore areas of the Andaman Islands, the tsunamis approaching the countries surrounding the Indian Ocean may be easily identified.

On the basis of which people living in the coastal areas of countries surrounding the Indian Ocean can be saved from the danger of tsunami by alerting them and instructing them to move to safer places.

Hence, a fool‐proof method to know whether India is facing tsunami threat is to erect towers in the seashore areas of the Andaman Islands and watching the seashore by installing surveillance cameras in them.

This system will not only benefit India but will also be a great boon to the other countries surrounding the Indian Ocean.

It will also help in boosting the image of India among the world nations.