www.globalresearch.ca Centre for Research on Globalisation Centre de recherche sur la mondialisation
The URL of this article is: http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHA412C.html
In the end, it was about 90 helpless minutes between the earthquake in Indonesia and the waves hitting India - because critical technology was lacking - that made all the difference to those affected by Sunday's killer tsunami. In the aftermath of that crucial hour and a half, it's almost criminal to hear the government griping about the "high costs" of joining the tsunami warning system.
According to Charles McCreery, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's center in Honolulu, "Most of those people could have been saved if they had a tsunami warning system in place or tide gauges," he said. "And I think this will be a lesson to them," he said.
It's estimated that joining the tsunami warning system would cost around Rs 1,000 crore. While that does seem steep, contrasting that with the human and economic costs of the tsunami paints a different picture altogether - almost 11,000 priceless human lives, estimates of 30,000 missing, and millions displaced. The economic cost to business alone is estimated at Rs 2,000 crore.
TOI's report on Monday quoted the Union home secretary saying that lack of knowledge on the tsunami was to be blamed for the disaster, claiming it was the first time ever that tsunami had hit the Indian coast, obviously in ignorance of 27 November, 1945, when an earthquake south of Karachi caused 12-metre tsunami to crash into the Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts.
When you have a basketful of apples, you wouldn't feel that bad about one or two falling off. Perhaps the abundance of human life in India reduces their cost.
Email this article to a friend
To become a Member of Global Research
To express your opinion on this article, join the discussion at Global Research's News and Discussion Forum , at http://globalresearch.ca.myforums.net/index.php
The Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG) at www.globalresearch.ca grants permission to cross-post original Global Research articles in their entirety, or any portions thereof, on community internet sites, as long as the text & title are not modified. The source must be acknowledged and an active URL hyperlink address of the original CRG article must be indicated. The author's copyright note must be displayed. For publication of Global Research articles in print or other forms including commercial internet sites, contact: [email protected]
www.globalresearch.ca contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of the political, economic and social dimensions of the New World Order. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Global Research.
For media inquiries: [email protected]
� Copyright belongs to the author 2004. For fair use only/ pour usage �quitable seulement.
return to home page