Quake lifts Solomons island out of sea...

[Can Do (Phil 4:13)]

Quake lifts Solomons island out of sea

From correspondents in the Solomon Islands

April 08, 2007 05:56pm

Article from: Agence France-PresseFont size: + -

THE seismic jolt that unleashed the deadly Solomons tsunami this week lifted an entire island metres out of the sea, destroying some of the world's most pristine coral reefs.

In an instant, the grinding of the Earth's tectonic plates in the 8.0 magnitude earthquake on Monday forced the island of Ranongga up 3m.

Submerged reefs that once attracted scuba divers from around the globe lie exposed and dying after the quake raised the mountainous landmass, which is 32km long and 8km wide.

Corals that used to form an underwater wonderland of iridescent blues, greens and reds now bleach under the sun, transforming into a barren moonscape surrounding the island.

The stench of rotting fish and other marine life stranded on the reefs when the seas receded is overwhelming and the once vibrant coral is dry and crunches underfoot.

Dazed villagers stand on the shoreline, still coming to terms with the cataclysmic shift that changed the geography of their island forever, pushing the shoreline out to sea by up to 70 metres.

Aid agencies have yet to reach Ranongga after the quake and tsunami that killed at least 34 people in the Pacific archipelago but witnesses on a chartered boat saw the destruction first hand.

At Pienuna, on Ranongga's east coast, locals said much of their harbour had disappeared, leaving only a narrow inlet lined by jagged exposed coral reefs either side.

Villager Harison Gago said there were huge earthquake fissures which had almost split the island in half, gesturing with his hands that some of the cracks were 50cm wide.

Further north at Niu Barae, fisherman Hendrik Kegala had just finished exploring the new underwater landscape of the island with a snorkel.

He said a huge submerged chasm had opened up, running at least 500m parallel to the coast.

On the beach at Niu Barae, the earthquake has revealed a sunken vessel that locals believe is a Japanese patrol boat, a remnant of the fierce fighting between Allied forces and the Japanese in WWII.

Mr Kegala said that from the perspective of those on the island, the sea appeared to recede and villagers still feared it would come back again as a tsunami, making them reluctant to return from higher ground where they fled.

[Leonard]

But....I thought only greedy Capitalist exploitation destroyed nature????

You mean nature does this sort of thing TO ITSELF?

We must get the EPA to pass regulations against nature!!!

[Gerioke]

But....I thought only greedy Capitalist exploitation destroyed nature????

You mean nature does this sort of thing TO ITSELF?

We must get the EPA to pass regulations against nature!!!

Global warming indeed. Who are the tree huggers gonna blame for this one?

[nebula]

You guys are funny!

But let's not forget what these people are going through now. Their livelihood was hurt bad. They need our prayers.

[Scarletprayers]

You guys are funny!

But let's not forget what these people are going through now. Their livelihood was hurt bad. They need our prayers.

Did any of you see the pictures...................................so sad. A beautiful reef destroyed, and the people who depend on it, their lives just got much harder.

[nebula]

Here is a picture with the article.

[Eliyahuw]

But....I thought only greedy Capitalist exploitation destroyed nature????

You mean nature does this sort of thing TO ITSELF?

We must get the EPA to pass regulations against nature!!!

Global warming indeed. Who are the tree huggers gonna blame for this one?

Their going to blame bush and karl rove!

[Gerioke]

I would think this would buy them some time as the sea levels rise.

[OopsMartin]

Here is a picture with the article.

Very sad. It looks like the shifting plates lifted up pieces of the bottom so that there is now a new and different bottom. So, the question is now, will the water level rise again, or will it remain at that lower level.