Tsunami: Respect the Ocean
68A Northern California Beach After March 2011 Tsunami
Mother Nature wasn't playing on March 10, 2011 when Japan was hit with the worst earthquake the island has experienced ever in recorded history. The 8.9 magnitude quake delivered mass destruction to the "Land of the Rising Sun", killing hundreds and obliterating anything that stood in the way. But that wasn't the end of the story; the resulting tsunamis generated waves an astonishing 30 feet high, wiping out entire villages. For the people of Japan, there was no escaping the earthquake or these deadly walls of water. But for the people of the California, Oregon, and Washington coastlines, ample warning was given that a "sister" tsunami would soon be on its way.
It Isn't Over Yet
Hawaii was hit with the first tsunami just hours after the initial Japan quake, with waves reaching heights of 11 feet. Dozens of Hawaiian houses and boats sustained damage, but miraculously, not a single death has been reported.
The Southern Oregon coast was hit next, and waves of up to 4 feet destroyed docks and carried privately owned boats out to sea. Soon after, waves with heights of up to 8 feet completely crushed neighboring Crescent City, California's harbor, sweeping an estimated 35 boats out to sea. Four people were reportedly pulled into the ocean by the waves--three were rescued, but one 25 year old man is still unaccounted for.
The waves also hit Half Moon Bay and the coastline of Santa Cruz, among several other places along the California coast, causing minimal damage.
A video filmed from atop a Crescent City, CA cliff outside the "danger zone" can be found here. The tsunami waves appear at times to be deceptively gentle, but don't let them fool you: They are deadly.
Tsunami Aftermath
We Aren't Bulletproof
Natural disasters such as these have a tendency to remind us of the fragility of life--nothing is certain in matters of nature. Geologists are saying that the devastation we have seen in Japan could be repeated on the Pacific Northwest sometime in the future.
Disaster can strike at any time, any place. We must keep in mind that the "laws of nature" sometimes have no rhyme or reason. Preparedness is the key to making the most of any disaster that may come our way. Although there are times (as in Japan) where nothing can be done to escape Mother Nature, we can be prepared to the best of our ability for catastrophes.
- Ready America.Gov has a helpful checklist for preparing an Emergency Kit.
- The Randolph, NC Community Government shares some helpful tips to prepare for a catastrophe.
- FEMA shares an in-depth guide for disaster preparedness.
The world is changing all the time. No one can predict with complete accuracy what will happen tomorrow, but we can do our best to be prepared for the future with the resources we have available.
The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord. Proverbs 21:31
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Nature is awesome, fearsome, and mighty. There is certainly no question of its power. I find it impossible not to be devastated for and with the people caught up in the destruction of these events. This hub was excellent.
Exactly, Swedal. It seems that lately Mother Nature has been dosing out a lot of severe and unusual weather all around the world.
Motown2Chitown, I am devastated for them, as well. What a tragedy. This morning in church my pastor talked about how the Japanese have strict building codes because earthquakes happen so often there--unfortunately those building codes didn't stand a chance against the giant wall of water. It makes a person wonder how safe we really are, no matter what kinds of precautions we may take. As I said in my hub, we're not bulletproof.
I rejoice that I know a God who loves and cares for me. He never promised me that my life would be easy, but He did promise that He would always be there to take me through all times, bad and good. It's the only peaceful thought I have in the midst of all of this.
Yes, we are in Hawaii and luckily our island was spared damage, but the Big Island and Maui had big waves that were caused from the tsunami in Japan. Makes you have a healthy respect for Mother Nature.
The earthquate and the tusnami have proven well what no other has been able to do, that equality is guranteed when nature unleashes her wrath. I pray our compassion is equal to it's evidence.
Elayne001, thanks for reading. I live in one of the tsunami zones as well, and even though no lives were lost, the devastation is terrible.
Arb, so true. I have some amazing friends who are trying to raise money for some nearby towns that withstood damage to their harbors.
...well I live about 100 feet or so away from Lake Erie here in Ontario, Canada and I never really thought about it too much until I saw that terrible disaster on TV in Japan ..... nature is a powerful force and way way beyond our control - and 'human' nature is another very powerful - whether good or bad - and the other variable we have no control over - is time - itself!
But I love your hubs so please do what you do best - and that is to continue to write .......
You are so right epigramman! Human nature is a very powerful beast as well! Look at what happens when Mother Nature and Human Nature mix--the meltdowns at those nuclear power plants come to mind. Yikes.
When I lived in California I remember all the speculation of what would happen if “we” were hit by a quake the size of the on that hit Japan and it was the feeling of most scientist that it could create tsunamis that could devastate the entire Pacific coast from San Diego to British Colombia. Great hub and important message!
swedal 14 months ago
The things happening in Japan right now are just horrific and serve as a reminder of just how powerful nature can be.