8.8 magnitude earthquake hits Chile

[DrinkingHarp]

Thoughts go out to the people of Chile.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100227/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_chile_earthquake

[Capt Pat]

A lot more powerful than the one in Haiti but in a less populated area. It is the middle of the night over there so no news of casualties or the extent of the damage, but this quake was felt 2000 km away.

[DrinkingHarp]

CNN is showing 11 confirmed fatalities according to Chilean President.
The major bridge connecting northern and southern Chile is impassable or destroyed.
Tsunami watches go out for Chile and Peru.

Isn't someone from the board down in South America right now?

[winsamsoon]

Tsunami watch now for Vancouver Island winter Olympics in danger according to BBC (shocking)

[Tony Baloney]

Just seen footage on the news. Place seems in bad shape as expected with up to 2 million people affected. The tsunami never came to much with waves of 3 feet in Japan.

What has Rev. Johnny Campbell of Newbuildings to say about this one.

[muppet]

8.8 is some earthquake.

They are saying its epicentre was 22 miles underground which partially explains why it didn't do as much damage as it might have. Every news outlet was talking about tsunami alerts even when it was obvious there would be nothing of note. The Indian ocean earthquake involved a large block of the earth slipping upwards suddenly and that displaced a huge amount of water immediately, hence the tsunami there. This happened miles underground and would only have shaken the water hence the much smaller waves.

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

[ziggysego]

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

I'd have to disagree with that, alot of these island were on high alert, but thankfully didn't come to what people feared. Didn't think it would hit Australia or Japan, like predicted.

I've a friend living and working in the Pacific, so I'm worried so him

[muppet]

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

I'd have to disagree with that, alot of these island were on high alert, but thankfully didn't come to what people feared. Didn't think it would hit Australia or Japan, like predicted.

I've a friend living and working in the Pacific, so I'm worried so him

53 countries I believe. That was my point, every time an elephant farts now there will be a tsunami alert. Until of course we have cried wolf so many times that the alerts will be ignored and become meaningless. Then there will be a real tsunami.

[mountainboii]

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

I'd have to disagree with that, alot of these island were on high alert, but thankfully didn't come to what people feared. Didn't think it would hit Australia or Japan, like predicted.

I've a friend living and working in the Pacific, so I'm worried so him

53 countries I believe. That was my point, every time an elephant farts now there will be a tsunami alert. Until of course we have cried wolf so many times that the alerts will be ignored and become meaningless. Then there will be a real tsunami.

Sound like there was a real enough tsunami this time round though.

[J70]

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

I'd have to disagree with that, alot of these island were on high alert, but thankfully didn't come to what people feared. Didn't think it would hit Australia or Japan, like predicted.

I've a friend living and working in the Pacific, so I'm worried so him

53 countries I believe. That was my point, every time an elephant farts now there will be a tsunami alert. Until of course we have cried wolf so many times that the alerts will be ignored and become meaningless. Then there will be a real tsunami.

What do you propose they do? There are so many variables and so much uncertainty involved in the immediate aftermath of a quake (which is exactly when the warnings are needed) that precise prediction of the gravity of these things is extremely difficult. As with weather forecasting, most intelligent people understand that there is an unavoidable element of error in making these kinds of predictions. I would imagine that, provided they are properly educated on these matters, that people living in these tsunami-vulnerable regions will have a similar understanding. Its not like there haven't been numerous examples of the deadly effects of tsunamis over the past century or so.

[muppet]

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

I'd have to disagree with that, alot of these island were on high alert, but thankfully didn't come to what people feared. Didn't think it would hit Australia or Japan, like predicted.

I've a friend living and working in the Pacific, so I'm worried so him

53 countries I believe. That was my point, every time an elephant farts now there will be a tsunami alert. Until of course we have cried wolf so many times that the alerts will be ignored and become meaningless. Then there will be a real tsunami.

Sound like there was a real enough tsunami this time round though.

Fair enough but those islands are only 600 kms due west of Chile. The media were reporting alerts in Hawaii, Japan and Australia. I believe they simply name the places with the biggest populations regardless of the threat rather than reporting the places where the threat is greatest.

[muppet]

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

I'd have to disagree with that, alot of these island were on high alert, but thankfully didn't come to what people feared. Didn't think it would hit Australia or Japan, like predicted.

I've a friend living and working in the Pacific, so I'm worried so him

53 countries I believe. That was my point, every time an elephant farts now there will be a tsunami alert. Until of course we have cried wolf so many times that the alerts will be ignored and become meaningless. Then there will be a real tsunami.

What do you propose they do? There are so many variables and so much uncertainty involved in the immediate aftermath of a quake (which is exactly when the warnings are needed) that precise prediction of the gravity of these things is extremely difficult. As with weather forecasting, most intelligent people understand that there is an unavoidable element of error in making these kinds of predictions. I would imagine that, provided they are properly educated on these matters, that people living in these tsunami-vulnerable regions will have a similar understanding. Its not like there haven't been numerous examples of the deadly effects of tsunamis over the past century or so.

I have no problem with countries around the Pacific rim having tsunami alerts obviously. Better safe than sorry.

My problem is that when there is an enormous earthquake our media outlets now seem to fixated on reporting the threat it might have in Australia, the US or Japan while forgetting about the real damage that has already happened due to the actual earthquake. It is as if the earthquake has already happened therefore it is old news and they already want to move onto something new, such as the chance of a tsunami.

[J70]

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

I'd have to disagree with that, alot of these island were on high alert, but thankfully didn't come to what people feared. Didn't think it would hit Australia or Japan, like predicted.

I've a friend living and working in the Pacific, so I'm worried so him

53 countries I believe. That was my point, every time an elephant farts now there will be a tsunami alert. Until of course we have cried wolf so many times that the alerts will be ignored and become meaningless. Then there will be a real tsunami.

What do you propose they do? There are so many variables and so much uncertainty involved in the immediate aftermath of a quake (which is exactly when the warnings are needed) that precise prediction of the gravity of these things is extremely difficult. As with weather forecasting, most intelligent people understand that there is an unavoidable element of error in making these kinds of predictions. I would imagine that, provided they are properly educated on these matters, that people living in these tsunami-vulnerable regions will have a similar understanding. Its not like there haven't been numerous examples of the deadly effects of tsunamis over the past century or so.

I have no problem with countries around the Pacific rim having tsunami alerts obviously. Better safe than sorry.

My problem is that when there is an enormous earthquake our media outlets now seem to fixated on reporting the threat it might have in Australia, the US or Japan while forgetting about the real damage that has already happened due to the actual earthquake. It is as if the earthquake has already happened therefore it is old news and they already want to move onto something new, such as the chance of a tsunami.

But that's a separate issue. Government scientists who (correctly) issue the tsunami alerts can't control what the media choose to hype.

[muppet]

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

I'd have to disagree with that, alot of these island were on high alert, but thankfully didn't come to what people feared. Didn't think it would hit Australia or Japan, like predicted.

I've a friend living and working in the Pacific, so I'm worried so him

53 countries I believe. That was my point, every time an elephant farts now there will be a tsunami alert. Until of course we have cried wolf so many times that the alerts will be ignored and become meaningless. Then there will be a real tsunami.

What do you propose they do? There are so many variables and so much uncertainty involved in the immediate aftermath of a quake (which is exactly when the warnings are needed) that precise prediction of the gravity of these things is extremely difficult. As with weather forecasting, most intelligent people understand that there is an unavoidable element of error in making these kinds of predictions. I would imagine that, provided they are properly educated on these matters, that people living in these tsunami-vulnerable regions will have a similar understanding. Its not like there haven't been numerous examples of the deadly effects of tsunamis over the past century or so.

I have no problem with countries around the Pacific rim having tsunami alerts obviously. Better safe than sorry.

My problem is that when there is an enormous earthquake our media outlets now seem to fixated on reporting the threat it might have in Australia, the US or Japan while forgetting about the real damage that has already happened due to the actual earthquake. It is as if the earthquake has already happened therefore it is old news and they already want to move onto something new, such as the chance of a tsunami.

But that's a separate issue. Government scientists who (correctly) issue the tsunami alerts can't control what the media choose to hype.

It is the media reporting I am commenting on. It is as if they can't report on something unless it is a current or future threat/scare whatever.

[J70]

But it seems journalists will report every earthquake in the context of tsunami alerts. Just like every new winter flu will be reported in the context of it being, nearly being or not being a pandemic.

I'd have to disagree with that, alot of these island were on high alert, but thankfully didn't come to what people feared. Didn't think it would hit Australia or Japan, like predicted.

I've a friend living and working in the Pacific, so I'm worried so him

53 countries I believe. That was my point, every time an elephant farts now there will be a tsunami alert. Until of course we have cried wolf so many times that the alerts will be ignored and become meaningless. Then there will be a real tsunami.

What do you propose they do? There are so many variables and so much uncertainty involved in the immediate aftermath of a quake (which is exactly when the warnings are needed) that precise prediction of the gravity of these things is extremely difficult. As with weather forecasting, most intelligent people understand that there is an unavoidable element of error in making these kinds of predictions. I would imagine that, provided they are properly educated on these matters, that people living in these tsunami-vulnerable regions will have a similar understanding. Its not like there haven't been numerous examples of the deadly effects of tsunamis over the past century or so.

I have no problem with countries around the Pacific rim having tsunami alerts obviously. Better safe than sorry.

My problem is that when there is an enormous earthquake our media outlets now seem to fixated on reporting the threat it might have in Australia, the US or Japan while forgetting about the real damage that has already happened due to the actual earthquake. It is as if the earthquake has already happened therefore it is old news and they already want to move onto something new, such as the chance of a tsunami.

But that's a separate issue. Government scientists who (correctly) issue the tsunami alerts can't control what the media choose to hype.

It is the media reporting I am commenting on. It is as if they can't report on something unless it is a current or future threat/scare whatever.

A tsunami alert is a very serious thing. Just because it eventually turns out to be a false alarm doesn't make it any less serious or newsworthy while its active. And I'm sure the affected governments are happy (and may require them to do it for all I know) for the media to inform the public of the threat. I'm not sure how you would like this to have played out - who are you criticising - RTE? BBC? Sky News, CNN, Fox and other such major global news stations which probably have a reach in most of the affected regions at this stage?