So I'm sure everyone has heard about what has happened to the Japanese people and this is a disaster that could have happened anywhere.
Earthquakes, while typically occurring on fault lines, can happen anywhere on the planet. They are based on tectonic plate motion releasing pressure from the mantle's constant heat generation. They can happen anywhere because the mantle and the plates are constantly changing. Without warning other areas can be hit by massive earthquakes.
Areas such as Japan and California are on fault lines where earthquakes happen frequently and so buildings and roads are designed these days to minimize damage from earthquakes. These "building codes" saved thousands of lives when the earthquake hit to allow people to evacuate.
Yet even as a Civil Engineer, I have no real idea how to design correctly for a tsunami. While I could think of ways to make a building safe to a massive wave (F=ma) against the side of the building, there is no way I could think of making it for a boat or a train being thrown at it, or keeping the people inside alive from water...
I am rambling a little bit, though truly I feel guilty. I went to Vegas the weekend after the earthquake and tsunami hit. It was supposed to be for a birthday, but really my friend just wanted to go on a vacation. While I was there I tried to pay attention to the continuing problems in Japan as I felt I didn't deserve my vacation, nor in reality have I. I haven't been working as hard as I should be with my good life and health should be going so much more with my life...
So now I am going to study more and donate whatever I can!
Here is a link to some sites you can donate to, I am also going to really get on giving money to Engineers Without Borders.
More posts soon!
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