Tsunami Warning Australia
Tsunami Warning Australia – People who defied beach warnings in Australia over the weekend may not understand the danger posed by tsunamis, says an expert who has called for more research into risk behaviour and public education.
Associate Professor Dale Dominey-Howes, of the Australian Tsunami Research Centre and Natural Hazards Research Laboratory in Sydney, has made the call in the wake of the tsunami that sped across the Pacific after the weekend’s devastating Chilean earthquake.
While this particular tsunami did not inundate Australia’s coast, Dominey-Howes said extra-strong currents caused by the tsunami could have swept swimmers out to sea.
“The speed of flow in a tsunami as it goes in and goes out is significantly higher than a rip,” Dominey-Howes said. “We’ve had notable, awful tragedies of people drowning in rips.”
Warnings defied
Hundreds of people continued swimming at Australia’s most famous beach, Bondi, after the tsunami warning had been issued, says Phil Campbell from the NSW Government State Emergency Services.
“Those people who did go in the water were very much a minority,” says Campbell, adding that a normal hot summer’s day could see as many as 50,000 people at the Sydney beach.
Tsunami Warning Australia
Tags: Associate Professor, Bondi, Education Associate, Government State, Hot Summer, Howes, Natural Hazards Research, Nsw Government, Phil Campbell, Professor Dale, Public Education, Research Laboratory, Risk Behaviour, State Emergency Services, Strong Currents, Swimmers, Sydney Australia, Sydney Beach, Tragedies, Tsunami Research
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