ABSTRACT
Submarine volcanic eruptions generate tsunamis which remind us of the power of nature, and the fragility of nature. In a sense, the tsunami as a natural disaster is analogous to Hiroshima atomic bomb blast. In both the cases, the destructive impulse is of short duration, but its consequences are felt for decades. The impact of tsunamis on life and property per unit time could be greater and more long-lasting even than those of longer duration such as pollution due to industries and sewage, beach erosion, and sea level variations (Figure 31.1, Krishna, 2005). For example surveys in French Polynesia have revealed plausible associations of outbreaks of ciguatera poisoning with disturbances to live corals caused by hurricanes and tsunamis (Bagnis, 1994). Unfortunately their ephemeral and unpredictable nature precludes any lead time for any planned investigation on the impact of tsunamis in a specific geographic region.
