Tsunami warning for east coast of Australia

[Stuju]

Tsunami warning for east coast


April 02, 2007 08:45am
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A TSUNAMI warning has been issued for the whole eastern coast of Australia as far south as Tasmania after a strong earthquake off the Solomon Islands.
The warning includes Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.

An earlier warning covered Queensland's Barrier Reef Islands and Willis Island in the Coral Sea.

Barry Hirshorn from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said he had been hearing rumours of 20 houses washed away close to the epicentre of the quake, but further away the tsunami was down to less than half a metre.

He said a warning had gone out for the north-east coast of Australia.
"All we can say is that both ourselves and Geoscience Australia and the met (meteorological) services are all anxiously checking water level readings," he told the Seven Network.
"That (water levels readings) will give us our next step." The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii said a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near the Solomon Islands at 6.40am (AEST) today and was centred about 350km west-north-west of the capital Honiara at a depth of 10km.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology's National Meteorological and Oceanographic Centre in Melbourne said a possible tsunami could affect Willis Island at 8.30am and Cooktown in far north Queensland about 9.30am.
People were warned to move out of the water and away from low lying foreshore areas and then listen for further advice from state emergency service authorities.
But the bureau said the warning was based on the earthquake and it was not known if a tsunami was generated.
"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines in the region near the epicentre within minutes to hours," the warning centre said.
The centre said it had no confirmed information a tsunami was generated but said authorities should take appropriate action in response to the possibility.
A quake of a magnitude greater than six can trigger a tsunami.
The quake struck at 0640 AEST and was centred about 350km west-north-west of the capital Honiara at a depth of 10km, the US Geological Survey and Hong Kong Observatory said.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The Pacific nation, 2575km east of Australia, has fewer than 500,000 people living on dozens of islands.
It is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where continental plates meet and frequently experiences volcanic and seismic activity.

also see the link http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...366110823.html

[calNgary]

For anyone interested all sunshine and gold coast beaches were shut this morning ,lots of ferrys cancelled and schools shut ,,,but you know what ,,the tsunami's gone and is no longer a threat to us ,,
Cal x
always knew i'd bought inland for a reason !!!

[Stuju]

The jetty at Gizo before the tsunami struck.


Latest related coverage

• Tsunami warning clears Sydney beaches

Jano Gibson
April 2, 2007 - 2:06PM


Villages have been destroyed and homes, ripped from the land, are floating out to sea after a major earthquake and tsunami hit the Solomon Islands today.
The country's Prime Minister's office reports that at least six people have been killed and several are missing as "10-metre-high waves continue to crash [on] coastal villages".
Reports from police at Gizo - the capital of the western province and a popular destination for divers - said water now completely covered the lower areas of the town, while waves continued to pound the nearby towns of Noro and Munda.
About 50 homes in Gizo - just 45 kilometres from the centre of the quake - had reportedly been flattened and boats had been washed into the town.
There were reports that large waves had penetrated 500 metres inland, wiping out villages.
A Solomons ferry boat crew told of seeing falling coconuts, swirling waters and destroyed homes after the magnitude 8 earthquake struck this morning.
Australian Tony Jansen, who is based in Honiara, emailed a friend to say there were reports of "homes floating out to sea" in Gizo.Australia is now declared safe again but these poor people are having a bad time

[Stuju]

Nooooooooo it wasnt an april fools all very real unfortuantley

[calNgary]

Ye Chelle there houses are now floating in the sea ,it has also taken a few lives ,no british or australians thou according to the news ,,
Cal x

[spock]

Knowing that Australia is on a continental plate that floated from Antarctica over millions of years, it seems possible that earthquakes could strike the ocean anywhere around the Australian coast. In theory.

Apart from this incident, has anyone investigated Tsunami risks to the rest of the Australian coastline in general? Most of the Australian population is around coastal areas, how safe is it?

This is another one of those things that makes you question your decision to move. Not saying I won't go, but it makes you think about it.

Spock.