The volcanic eruption of Anak Krakatau triggered a Tsunami which has devastated Sunda Strait in Indonesia, killing several hundred people. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost their relatives and whose lives have been shattered by the disaster. As images of the destruction are coming via TV news, the magnitude of the carnage becomes evident. The sea side town is smashed and flattened. However, what is most disturbing is the death toll which is rising fast. So far, around 300 persons are missing though there are fears that the casualty may rise.
This natural disaster is profoundly distressing as it happens just before Christmas and the end of the year. When the Tsunami struck, people were by the sea listening to music and relaxing. Indonesia experienced another Tsunami in 2004, and eerily, that also happened during Christmas time, which creates a premise for the timing to be analysed by geologists and experts.
In addition, the degradation of ecology also needs to be evaluated to find if such a natural calamity was caused by environmental abuse. At the moment, the priority is to rescue people who may be caught in the rubble and provide water, food and medicines to the locals. As a friendly Muslim country, Bangladesh has to send immediate help in the form of doctors, rice and water.
Sudden natural disasters have become a common phenomenon in recent times with 2018 experiencing intense floods in China along with unusually long dry spells in Europe. These indicate extreme weather patterns that have become regular and unless efforts are taken to address climate change impact, such episodes will rise in the future. The one curious question is why volcanic eruptions cannot be predicted with all the modern technology available.
The Tsunami should be a warning for Bangladesh too, which has a large coastline not too far away from an earthquake prone zone. As natural disasters wreak havoc with lives, they send us warnings of a capricious nature. The Tsunami in Indonesia is yet another signal that in the face of nature’s wrath humanity is helpless. With a New Year coming, our prayers are for the people in the stricken area and hope that the reconstruction will soon start with special attention to Tsunami warning systems.