Approaching fast... Saturday, February 27, 2010

My first reaction upon hearing the news about the Chilean earthquake was that my heart went out to everyone affected there. Another devastating earthquake? More devastated people? So soon after Haiti? Really?

And then I saw that there are tsunamis headed toward Hawaii. And then I saw this.

 

This image shows the "predicted distribution of energy" following the Chile earthquake. I am not a scientific person by any means (while FH comes from a family of geologists), so this image helped me put things into perspective. 

I'll admit that upon seeing this map, my first thought was those honeymoon plane tickets we purchased just a few days ago. I am even more embarrassed to admit that, while I'm generally well traveled and sensitive to the needs of people in different parts of the world (I'm an ethnomusicologist, for Heavens' sake!), I never thought much about Hawaii. I'd bought into the idea of it as an unspoiled, hurricane-free place that is perfectly safe and idyllic. And I'm sure it is, most of the year. At the moment, though, it's a series of islands with people on them, hoping the tsunamis don't come.