Bermuda To Take Part in Tsunami Drill
Bermuda will join other localities in the Caribbean as a participant in a tsunami response exercise tomorrow [Mar.23]
The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate local tsunami response plans, increase tsunami preparedness, and improve coordination throughout the region.
“The 2011 Japan earthquake and Pacific-wide tsunami have reminded the world again of the urgent need to be more prepared for such events,” said Dr. Mark Guishard, Director of the Bermuda Weather Service.
“This important exercise will test the current procedures of the Tsunami Warning System and help identify operational strengths and weaknesses in each community.”
The exercise, titled CARIBE WAVE 11/LANTEX 11, will simulate a widespread Tsunami Warning and Watch situation throughout the Caribbean which requires implementation of local tsunami response plans. It is the first such international exercise in the Caribbean region. The exercise will include public notification, via the dissemination channels routinely used for weather information.
The exercise will simulate a major earthquake and tsunami generated 25 miles southeast of Fajardo, Puerto Rico and 55 miles southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico at 10:00am Atlantic Daylight Time on March 23, 2011. Tsunami messages will be issued to the relevant local agencies from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the interim Regional Tsunami Watch Provider for the non-US countries in the Caribbean Sea and Adjacent Regions.
Participants in this exercise include the Bermuda Weather Service [operated by BAS-Serco Ltd. on behalf of the Government of Bermuda], Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre, Bermuda Police Service, and the Department of Airport Operations.
The exercise is sponsored by the UNESCO/IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions, the Caribbean Emergency Management Agency, the Centro de Coordinación para la Prevención de los Desastres Naturales en América Central, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and by the U.S. National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program.
Are you kidding me? If a tsunami was headed for Bermuda, it would be total annihilation and maybe the island would cease to exist as it is today. May God always look and smile upon Bermuda and her beautiful people.
God wouldnt do such a thing to Bermuda would he?
The economic tsunami that will hit Bermuda next year will make everyone’s head spin. The earthquake was Ewart Brown and our Premier gave him a blank cheque book to really shake things up.
And the Nuclear Plant exploding sending radiation in the air is the fools who keep blaming Ewart Brown and the PLP for the GLOBAL economic crisis. After all, it HAS to be the doc’s fault since, as “tq” above says, God wouldn’t do such a thing to Bermuda would he?
Now now. Some people will survive depending on which way the tsunami is coming from. If it’s coming from the west, police will ensure panic and evacuate everyone from the west and put them all at Gibbs Hill Lighthouse. East end would be fine then and vice versa. (For those of you who think I’m being serious here, I’ll remind you of what happened last time a suspected “tsunami” was heading to Bermuda and the stupid actions our police force took.) Bunch of idiots if you ask me.
Awww, sounds like somebody’s mad cause police had them up Gibbs Hill in their PJammies? Bwahaha
For a tsunami to form you need a gently sloping seafloor leading to a large landmass.
Bermuda is a very tiny little rock with a steeply sloping seafloor,a wave that would propagate a devastating tsunami on say the coast of the US would likely
have little effect on Bermuda.
How about the Azorean slopes of their land mass? That can do damage and the Azores are very volcanic and these are very active.
Mangrovetree….Hogwash. Read what you wrote in your first senetnce. “to form”.
Next you tell us there are no cracks in the earths crust around Bermuda.
what on earth are you on about ? trolling perhaps?
Didn’t we already have a Tsunami drill a few years back with the obviously staged tsunami incident, where Somerset was evacuated because a very, very, very slow moving wave was headed straight for ONLY the western section of a 21 square mile island?
The tsunami that forms when that volcanic island in the Canaries collapses, will go north & south of us and kill millions in the east coast of the USA. We may have a few casualties but mangrove is correct IMHO.
Yoo all been reading to much BIAW propaganda. From the East it would cause massive damage as it would not be slowed down due to the depth of water. From the north and west you’d be able to walk on the reefs for a short period and then Spanish Point would be in the Foot of The Lane and the only ones left would be the Triminghams, the Gibbs and the Hills.
Deal with the Tsunami of Crime first before something you cannot control eats you alive.
Okay cool thanks for taking the time to put this drill together. But what can you possibly do if a MEGA tsunami is coming at us?? just something for thought. What they should put together is a disaster relieve plan.
@ Camiko……simple. If you have a warning ( I don’t believe there are any sensors within 500 miles of Bermuda except to the west)…..run like sheet up dee nairast heal………..and if your on the Ferry…have a Red Bull…..
This is a good move, all the speculation that’s exactly the reason why this is a good exercise. If one should come our way there are high grounds to run to. Check youtube at the images from Japan if you get prior warning you stand a chance. This is what the exercise is all about, being prepared even minimally. Remember the earthquake is one of the strongest ever recorded, therefore the waves are some of the largest that can be generated.
Head for Tarn Heel!
Bernews, Is there any way that you could tell us how a Tsunami would affect Bermuda? Or get the weather service to maybe explain it. I am unable to reach a scientist friend of mine to ask the question. I used to think we were safe until last week where I had a discussion with a very knowledgable person and they told me differently. Before I speculate I would love it if we could get the facts. Would or wouldn’t a Tsunami affect Bermuda. If not then why would be involved in this drill? I think this is something that we should get the facts on and not speculation from those that “Think” they know. I was one of those until last week and now I’m ot convinced one way or the other of the impact. Thanks!
Not exactly the answer, but for information’s sake here is something Dr Mark Guishard said in an earlier article about tsunamis/Bermuda:
“We have written Standard Operating Procedures, had a tabletop exercise in April 2009, and we even conducted a drill last month to find areas for improvement in our warning system, should a tsunami approach Bermuda. Regarding public education, there have been recent articles in the press and even public presentations on tsunamis over the last couple of years.
On the international scene, we have participated in the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE EWS) since 2008. This work is ongoing, towards a robust system for educating, preparing and warning the public in the eventuality of a tsunami impacting Bermuda.
The consensus is that tsunamis have affected Bermuda before, however no major societal impacts have been recorded. In 1929, a dredging plant in Flatts was nearly sunk by “a tidal wave”, described as a “sudden inrush of water” (Royal Gazette, 21 November, 1929) – this was a result of an undersea landslide in the Grand Banks, triggering a tsunami south of Newfoundland.
No loss of life is thought to have occurred in relation to this event, but it speaks to the risks we might face from a tsunami, given the increase of population and coastal low-lying infrastructure.
Regarding seismicity near Bermuda, there have been no tsunami-genic earthquake events detected locally, but according to the US Geological Survey, we do get the occasional minor earthquake within 1000 km. A more likely tsunami source would be from a far-field origin, such as the fault line just north of Puerto Rico.
Assessment of the impacts of a tsunami on Bermuda is an effort we are trying to facilitate through collaboration with various agencies around the island. One of the big hurdles is the collation of bathymetry (sea floor mapping) data. Without accurate bathymetry data, models that predict the vulnerability to coastal inundation are necessarily limited. This bathymetry data is incidentally also needed for any assessment of storm surge impacts.
Bermuda Weather Service has been designated a Tsunami Warning Focal Point for Bermuda, in addition to Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre. As such, we have purview over coordinating Tsunami Warnings for the general public.”
Thank you so much, this is vague but informative. I understand it as no definitive proof one way or the other how a tsunami would affect Bermuda do to lack of knowledge (mapping)…. Thanks Bernews Fabulous as always!!!!
And no offence Bernews but the photo in the Caption is misleading. A Tsunami wave is under water not the like the frequent ones we see in Hawaii, South Africa, california, Chile et al. There’s a hell of a differance between natrual surface waves and the monster that is only 2 feet-1 foot until it arrives as a 30-40 footer on shallow and sucked back land.
Need to be nice to the Governor!Just in case! highest part of the island!
Tsunamis have hit Bermuda before, as recently as 1929. There was minimal damage and no reported loss of life. The 9.0 earthquake that devastated Lisbon in 1755 caused waves as high as 5 metres here, but again damage was minimal. Why? Because of the reasons cited by mangrovetree. Waves crest in shallow water, the water around us is very deep and the seamount we are perched on is steep. This tends to make waves break offshore, and much of the energy is dissipated. There would still be impact damage, but no worse than any hurricane we’ve had.
A good study would be checking out the Solition Wave Theory or Displacement Waves on Wikipedia for those with an more analytical mindset.What mangrovetree is pretty correct. We sit atop a massive subterranean pedstal; there is no gently sloping seabed, especially on the south shore where some extrapolations place a tsunami threat to approach us from. Water from tsunamis and surges in general pile up againgst a continental shelf which increases their impact; another factor in a possible impact would be the tide. As for the Canary Is. …look up Cumbre Vieja/La Palma Canary Islands… The estimates for the size of a possible tsunami generated by a rock slide there are HUGE, it could make what hit Japan look like child’s play.Methinks the threat of an earthquake outweighs that of a tsunami
Has anyone heard of any major damage to any of the may atolls & small islands in the Pacific last week? NO! Why? Because they are very small dots in a huge deep ocean, just like Bermuda, & as stated much earlier in this thread, the wave basically went around them. Was there a surge? Yes, but nothing much worse than a hurricane produces.
Worst case for Bermuda would be the huge chunk in the Canary Islands predicted to slide at some point next year, 100 years, 1000 years, 10,000 years from now. We don’t know. That wave would hit Bermuda pretty much square on the S Shore. How far would it wash up? Further than any hurricane tide I guess. Overall, our small size would save us.
I wonder how many idiots who don’t know the difference between simulation & real thing will be running around in a panic tomorrow?
In reference to the following statement in part from Dr. Guishard,
Part quote: “… should a tsunami approach Bermuda. Regarding public education, there have been recent articles in the press and even public presentations on tsunamis over the last couple of years.: End quote
“I keep fairly up to date on Bermuda news events & features but I don’t remember any articles (recent or non-recent) on what we are to do in the event of a Tsunami approaching.
Having dealt with hurricanes my whole life, people have advance warnings up to a week or more about an approaching hurricane and they still do things wrong from panic buying of food supplies, filling up cars at gas stations(as if the roads will be passable for gawking) and wind surfing/swimming etc. so how will we react with a 15 min warning?
Can anyone of my beloved Bernews readers recall what we are to do in the event of a Tsunami?
Basically you should move to higher ground (away from the shores/beaches); have a safety kit loaded with water, food, flashlights, etc.; and do not leave until the tsunami warning has been lifted.
there has never been a tsunami in the atlantic ocean
It’s the financial and social “Tsunami” that will become more threatening in the forseeable future that should concern many now. The alarms are going off and many have run for the hills.
And yes it’s relevent.
Beg to differ korey. Read the local blogs and find out how some resdients have proof and can even google back to 1609 to even show that the Sea Venture did not run aground off the East End but was sucked out of St.George harbour during the receeding tide after loading up with Hogs.
William Strachy aka Scrotum Rumber has it in his writings which are kept at the Masonic Lodge in St. George. There are even DNA urine stains of rabbid Rabbitts on it/them. As for Sir. George Somers, his heart is not in Somers Gardens. He left his heart in San Francisco according to Dan Brown.