 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
UN Criticises India Refusal To Share Data On Low Magnitude Quakes
Hyderabad, India (AFP) Dec 16, 2005 India said Friday it would not share information on earthquakes below a magnitude of six on the Richter scale due to security concerns, drawing criticism from the United Nations. Indian seismologists at an UN tsunami conference said sharing seismic data had security implications as seabed terrain could be mapped, possibly helping others learn about the nation's submarines and warships. Indian seismologists also said providing information on earthquakes below a magnitude of six was unnecessary in seeking to prevent a tsunami. "Only an earthquake with a magnitude of more than seven has the potential to generate a tsunami," said G.D. Gupta, head of the seismology division in the Ministry of Science and Technology. "That's why we're willing to provide data on quakes above the magnitude of six." He was speaking on the sidelines of the UN conference, which aims to set up a tsunami early warning system for Indian Ocean countries by next year. Sharing seismology data is considered a crucial part of developing the system. The conference in this southern city ended 10 days ahead of the first anniversary of last year's devastating tsunami. Patricio Bernal, assistant director general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), rejected India's argument and said the organisation wanted a free flow of data. "The small quakes are important because we never know what they may lead to. It might be the signal for a bigger one," he told AFP. "India is the only country which has put up such a request (to refuse to share such data)," he added. Most of the 29 Indian Ocean nations did not have an adequate warning system when a massive undersea earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on December 26 unleashed giant waves, killing some 220,000 people in 11 countries. Since then, Indian Ocean nations have pledged rapidly to upgrade tsunami detection systems with a deep-sea sensor network so those at risk can be warned faster. "Essentially, after the tsunami and the many other disasters, the UN is facing a challenge of certain universal standards," Bernal said. "When the security of people is concerned, when the stability of the ... planet is concerned, every nation should be, on an ethical principle, bound by a convention to share technical data," Bernal said. "We can't afford to let a nation's interest interfere with the protection of life support on the planet," he said. "This is something which is emerging more and more. We can't afford not to have all the data which is necessary to protect not just one country or one continent but the whole planet," he said. Top scientists and government officials from over 25 nations attended the three-day session held by the UN's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. It ended Friday.
Source: Agence France-Presse Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links UNESCO SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Tectonic Science and News
Japan Hopes To Predict Big One With Journey To Center Of Earth
Yokohama, Japan (AFP) Dec 15, 2005An ambitious Japanese-led project to dig deeper into the Earth's surface than ever before will be a breakthrough in detecting earthquakes including Tokyo's dreaded "Big One," officials said Thursday. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
