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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on December 26, 2024

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How the 2004 Indian Ocean quake transformed tsunami science?

For Preliminary Examination: Earthquakes, tsunamis

For Mains Examination: GS I & III - World Geography, Disaster Management

Context:

The transoceanic reach of the 2004 tsunami was a big surprise. With no recorded history of any event of such magnitude, researchers had not anticipated it occurring along India’s eastern seaboard. But in the two decades since, their understanding of tsunamis has leapt forward

Read about:

Disaster Management Act

Plate tectonic theory

Key takeaways:

• The early 21st century witnessed two catastrophic seismic events that reshaped our understanding of tsunamis. The most recent occurred on March 11, 2011, when Japan experienced its most powerful recorded earthquake, measuring 9.1 in magnitude.
• This event generated massive waves reaching heights of 39 meters and penetrating 8 kilometers inland, resulting in over 18,000 fatalities, forcing half a million people from their homes, and triggering the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
• While major tsunamis had struck before, including those in Chile (1960) and Alaska (1964), the events of the 21st century provided crucial insights into disaster management.
• The 2004 tsunami particularly exposed global vulnerabilities to natural disasters, striking unexpectedly in unprecedented locations. This prompted UN disaster risk reduction chief Margareta Wahlström to note the significant progress in global safety measures implemented in the subsequent decade.
• The 2004 event caught the scientific community off guard, especially along India's eastern coast, where historical records only documented minor tsunamis in 1881 near Car Nicobar and 1883 following the Krakatoa eruption.
• This knowledge gap spurred remarkable advances in tsunami science and earthquake monitoring capabilities. A notable development was India's establishment of the ITEWC in 2007, operating from INCOIS in Hyderabad.
• This sophisticated system integrates seismological stations, pressure recorders, and tidal monitoring across the Indian Ocean, enabling rapid tsunami detection and warning dissemination within 10 minutes of an event.
• This achievement placed India among select nations with advanced tsunami warning capabilities, alongside the U.S., Japan, Chile, and Australia.
• The disaster catalyzed new research directions in tsunami geology, building on Brian Atwater's pioneering work. Scientists discovered evidence of historical tsunamis by studying land elevation changes and mangrove patterns in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Research at Mahabalipuram revealed the first Indian-documented evidence of a pre-2004 tsunami. These investigations led to improved understanding of tsunami deposits and enhanced GPS and seismic monitoring systems across the region.
• The event highlighted vulnerabilities in coastal nuclear installations. While the Kalpakkam facility weathered the 2004 tsunami, the 2011 Fukushima disaster demonstrated the potential consequences of inadequate safety measures, with radioactive contamination entering the food chain.

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