Tuesday, December 28, 2004

And We Want To Go To Moon

An earthquake, which measured 9.2 on Richter scale! Believe me, it doesn't get more severe than this. It's all time second highest ever in severity . Gujarat one was below 7.0( The date is again 26). Whatever the officials say, the devastation is much beyond they claim. Dreadful, as it may sound, but casualty is going to cross much beyond 50,000. Even 100,000. Take my word.

Such was the intensity of the quake that it created a crack 20m deep, and 1200 KM wide , much the worse, at the sea bed. Had it not been sea bed, casualty would have more just above the epicenter in Indonesia, but the Indian subcontinent would have been spared of the disaster. Unfortunately, that was not to be and for the first time death came with a new name in the region - Tsunami.

30 ft high walls of surging waves, riding at the speed 600 miles per hour, hit the coastal regions. And that's what cost the maximum damage. Such high severity of the quake produced so much turbulence and kinetic energy, that these marauding waves were able to cause so much havoc, even 1500 miles away.

Almost like a missile, where also, the source and target are miles away. But that also means, that we had 1.5 hours to save Andaman and Nicobars, and 2.5 hours to save the entire eastern coast. If not the property, then at least the life. But like always, we couldn't.

Why, we can't even detect floods which are a slow and steady process. Our satellites, costing billions to exchequer, are there just to provide cloud pictures. They are no good than moon, the natural satellite of the planet. The weather forecast is legendry, with fishermen making a point to venture into sea, when advised otherwise. Add to this, the cost of maintaining scientists, who make these satellites, that too with imported technology.

There is no permanent or qualified disaster management committee. It is always made adhoc, that too of the good for nothing Parliamentarians. To show off, we have a Shivraj Patil, the Home Minister, and MP from Latur, who faced a similar situation in Latur earthquakes, more than a decade ago, heading the committee. It was mismanagement galore, then.

Our only ray of hope are ever dependable defense personnel, and good Samaritan locals. They will fight it out for the disaster struck. For those who are affected, and are lucky(or unlucky) to be alive, life again starts from scratch. It is really a heart wrenching sight, seeing one's loved ones being snatched away within seconds, in front of one's eyes, without being able to do anything.

Deplorable that we can't save our own citizens, and still want to go to moon.
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