Thank God for the Tsunami that didn't happen - but,
cause for thought!
Nuku'alofa (Tonga): 4th May -- The strongest
earthquake to strike the South Pacific Region in many years, measuring
up to 8.1 on the Richter scale, struck about 150 kms off the main
island of Tonga, Tongatapu, about three hours ago. Initial fears
were that it could trigger a major Tsunami, the devastating effects of
which would be felt in Samoa, Fiji and the North Island of New
Zealand.
At the point of writing, alerts for such an
event have been cancelled - geologists explain that (1) the warning
buoys placed strategically in the Pacific following the world's worst
Tsunami 2004 in the Indian ocean, have given no indication of major sea
level change and (2) knowledge of the region where the quake took place
tells scientists that ocean depth helps mitigate tsunami effects, by
contrast with the situation of shallower waters near Sumatra where the
Indian Ocean Tsunami began.
Inevitable questions will be raised however, by
people wondering about the location and circumstances of Salesian works
in the South Pacific in the event of a major Tsunami. The first
question would be to ask how they would survive the initial
earthquake. Tremors are frequent in this region - particularly
between Tonga and Fiji, and both Fiji and Samoa experience regular
tremors - some barely felt, but not too many weeks go by without one
noticing glasses rattling in the cabinet or being woken at night by
movement of furniture - bed, chairs etc. Buildings constructed by the
Salesians in their 25 years in Samoa have been built with earthquakes
and cyclones in mind. Fr Hans Dopheide designed and built them to
tough standards! Those precautions have been tested by major quakes and
cyclones over 25 years and have come through well. Fiji's
Salesian community is housed in one older building (at least 70 years
old) that has withstood any of these events so far - more recently
constructed buildings have been built according to acceptable standards
but are yet to be tested. They would be lucky to keep their roof
in a really devastating blow!
A Tsunami would mean different things for different
areas. Tonga would be in terrible trouble! Its main island
is completely flat. There are no Salesian communities in Tonga,
though there is one Tongan Salesian who resides in Fiji, with his
family in Tonga, obviously. The location of the Don Bosco House
community in Suva (Fiji) is entirely safe in terms of Tsunamis - it is
far inland, but villagers on low lying coastal areas would be
unprepared. The same could be said for Samoa. The largest
parish in Samoa is in the hands of the Salesians, and would be in dire
straits if a tsunami were to hit that part of the coast. Cyclones
have destroyed earlier parish constructions and high wave activity has
eaten away large amounts of land near the presbytery, in the
past. It would stand little chance in the event of a
Tsunami. The two other main locations are well inland or on high
ground and would not be affected.
New Zealand has no Salesian communities. It is
probably well-equipped, as a first world nation, to deal with most
eventualities. But for the islands....the early warning systems
are in place, but distances between islands are relatively short and
had the 4.30 a.m. earthquake today (4th May in Tonga-Fiji and 3rd May
in Samoa - the dateline runs between them) generated a tsunami, 6.30
a.m. in Fiji would have found coastal dwellers totally unprepared and
awash! We can be grateful this time around.
If you wish to comment on this item, please feel
free to do so at the BoscoWiki
austraLasia page.
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