Destructive Tidal Wave

Taken from The New York Times:

Untold Numbers Are Missing in 6 Countries
By AMY WALDMAN
Published: December 27, 2004

The world's most powerful earthquake in 40 years erupted underwater off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Sunday and sent walls of water barreling thousands of miles, killing more than 13,000 people in half a dozen countries across South and Southeast Asia, with thousands more missing or unreachable.

The earthquake, which measured 9.0 in magnitude, set off tsunamis that built up speeds of as much as 500 miles per hour, then crashed into coastal areas of Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Indonesia, the Maldives and Malaysia as 40-foot-high walls of water, devouring everything and everyone in their paths.

Its force was felt more than 3,000 miles away in Somalia on the eastern coast of Africa, where nine people were reported killed...

This is news for this part of the world where I live in. I just feel so powerless and small compared to the powers of Nature. This earthquake seems to be a destructive one. Even though it erupted underwater, its mighty forces could be felt over various countries. This is so because the earthquake has generated a series of tidal waves whose forces are mighty enough to bring destruction to the coastal areas of several countries.

I feel sorry for the victims, who were probably caught by the tidal waves by surprise. So sudden. It must have been quite an anguish for one to have lost his/ her loved ones and home because of these destructive tidal waves. And yet, the fact seems to be saying that no matter how intelligent human beings are, we remain at mercy to the mighty forces of Nature.

At the same time, I am very intrigued by the phenomenon of Earthquake and the movement of the Earth's plates. It is so amazing that despite being a planet largely made of molten material, Earth could manage to provide the environment for countless of living things to thrive. Perhaps then the price to pay for life, is to bear with the fact that we live in a constantly changing planet where we will remain susceptible to the destructive forces of nature. I ain't sure. This is just a thought that came as I typed away.

For now, maybe the best I could wish is that the resilience in mankind would be strong enough for us to withstand and overcome those inevitable destructive forces of Nature.