12-26-2004, 08:26 AM
Tsunami causes major catastrophe along Sri Lanka's East coast
[TamilNet, December 26, 2004 04:12 GMT]
Reports say that a sudden rise in sea-level along the coastal areas in Sri Lanka, a phenomenon known as tsunami, has created a major catastrophy including loss of lives and property. Trincomalee town is submerged under 6 feet of sea water and bodies of several residents of coastal towns in Batticaloa district are seen floating, according to recent reports. TamilNet is awaiting further details.
Reports also say that most of the coastal towns across Sri Lanka including Thalaiyadi in the North and some villages south of Colombo are also inundated with sea-water entering mainland. Details of damages to these areas are not yet known.
Sources from Colombo said that water levels in affected coastal towns near Colombo are receding and that life is returning back to normal in Colombo.
Telephone lines to towns in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai districts are completely cutoff, and only satellite-based communication is available to these areas.
Experts at the U.S Geological Survey said that 8.5 Richter scale earth quake that hit Indonesian islands of Sumatra recently was the cause of the temporary rise in the sea-level around the island of Sri Lanka.
The phenomenon, tsunami, is a series of waves of extremely long wave length and long period generated in a body of water by an impulsive disturbance that displaces the water. Tsunamis are primarily associated with earthquakes in oceanic and coastal regions. Landslides, volcanic eruptions, nuclear explosions, and even impacts of objects from outer space (such as meteorites, asteroids, and comets) can also generate tsunamis.
As the tsunami crosses the deep ocean, its length from crest to crest may be a hundred miles or more, and its height from crest to trough will only be a few feet or less. They can not be felt aboard ships nor can they be seen from the air in the open ocean. In the deepest oceans, the waves will reach speeds exceeding 600 miles per hour (970 km/hr). When the tsunami enters the shoaling water of coastlines in its path, the velocity of its waves diminishes and the wave height increases. It is in these shallow waters that a large tsunami can crest to heights exceeding 100 feet (30 m) and strike with devastating force.
Tamilnet
[TamilNet, December 26, 2004 04:12 GMT]
Reports say that a sudden rise in sea-level along the coastal areas in Sri Lanka, a phenomenon known as tsunami, has created a major catastrophy including loss of lives and property. Trincomalee town is submerged under 6 feet of sea water and bodies of several residents of coastal towns in Batticaloa district are seen floating, according to recent reports. TamilNet is awaiting further details.
Reports also say that most of the coastal towns across Sri Lanka including Thalaiyadi in the North and some villages south of Colombo are also inundated with sea-water entering mainland. Details of damages to these areas are not yet known.
Sources from Colombo said that water levels in affected coastal towns near Colombo are receding and that life is returning back to normal in Colombo.
Telephone lines to towns in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai districts are completely cutoff, and only satellite-based communication is available to these areas.
Experts at the U.S Geological Survey said that 8.5 Richter scale earth quake that hit Indonesian islands of Sumatra recently was the cause of the temporary rise in the sea-level around the island of Sri Lanka.
The phenomenon, tsunami, is a series of waves of extremely long wave length and long period generated in a body of water by an impulsive disturbance that displaces the water. Tsunamis are primarily associated with earthquakes in oceanic and coastal regions. Landslides, volcanic eruptions, nuclear explosions, and even impacts of objects from outer space (such as meteorites, asteroids, and comets) can also generate tsunamis.
As the tsunami crosses the deep ocean, its length from crest to crest may be a hundred miles or more, and its height from crest to trough will only be a few feet or less. They can not be felt aboard ships nor can they be seen from the air in the open ocean. In the deepest oceans, the waves will reach speeds exceeding 600 miles per hour (970 km/hr). When the tsunami enters the shoaling water of coastlines in its path, the velocity of its waves diminishes and the wave height increases. It is in these shallow waters that a large tsunami can crest to heights exceeding 100 feet (30 m) and strike with devastating force.
Tamilnet