Asian Tsunami

The Asian Tsunami that struck Southern Asia and Indonesia in 2006 awakened the reality of its true preparedness and the challenges of the response. The countries that were hit were mostly in the ‘less economically developed country’ e.g. Sri Lanka and Sumatra. The tsunami has so traumatized the public that governments are under pressure to spend vast amounts of money for warning and protective measures against the tsunamis. It should not, however, be forgotten that tsunamis are comparatively rare events, and consequently the expenditure on preparedness should be commensurate with the probability of risk (Geology & Geophysics> Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union>Vol 86 Issue 11). Many high-risk coastal…