Tsunami Tscare

When I was in elementary school, I remember having to practice tornado drills. We’d go into the hallways, wedge ourselves between the locker and the ground, and hold our heads, slightly excited about the prospect, since most of us had never actually encountered a tornado personally. Today was no drill, however, when I received a text message about a tsunami watch for Majuro.

See the following link for more information: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8281616.stm

As I received calls and texts and understood the severity of the tsunami that may or may not hit, I took my first period class upstairs. After telling other teachers, no one really seemed to be doing anything which was the most confusing problem to me. Eventually, I sent the class back down and went about the day, until about 30 minutes later when the principal told everyone to bring all students to high ground.

For some physical reason (which I am not qualified to fully explain), an atoll and a tsunami don’t usually mix due to the structure and steepness of the ocean shelf. Just the idea of a 20 foot wave and an atoll is the equivalent of a lemonade stand facing a steamroller. After my first natural disaster scare, I realize the fragility of the Marshall Islands and other atoll nations. Whether it’s a tsunami or rising ocean levels, any changes in the sea have the opportunity to wipe out an entire nation. After today, the livelihood of the RMI depending on survival just a few feet about the Pacific has become extremely apparent.