Fear of the Wave
October 10/2018

The Maldives standing just a few feet high on the Chagos-Laccadive Submarine Ridge, the island nation is highly unlikely to experience an earthquake. However, the Maldives is always shaken up every time the red light goes off for an earthquake. In the past seven days, the world experienced over 115 earthquakes above a 4.0 magnitude. Especially recently on the 28th of September, when a 7.5 magnitude Earthquake struck Indonesia.

The Maldive community does not fear Earthquakes for the concrete damage due to the tremors. It is the fear of the aftermath tsunami that scares people of the Maldives. Still in shock from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that left the islands eroded, destroyed and devastated for years. A 9.1 magnitude Earthquake that left more than 220,000 people deceased marking it the deadliest tsunami recorded to this date. Affecting Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Myanmar, Madagascar, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, South Africa, Yemen and the Maldives, the tsunami opened eyes to many. While wave height reached over 10meters in Indonesia, the wave was only a few meters high in the Maldives since tsunamis highest being at 3.0m in Thaa Atoll.

Fully exposed to the high energy waves from Indonesia, why was not the Maldives submerged by the large waves? The coral reef rings that protect the Maldive shores from tides reduced the height of the waves. Maldive islands have very low gradient slopes while being low lying countries, this prevents the tsunamis from rising into horrifying heights. In such a way, it is highly unlikely a tsunami can submerge the Maldive islands, but a strong tsunami can erode the islands to a point which it can be uninhabitable.

The islands are not only in fear of climate change but sudden disasters as such. Indeed, Maldivians still live by scars economically, socially and geographically since the 2004 Tsunami; one can only imagine the nightmare of a mega-tsunami. Likewise, the Maldives is more likely to be a temporary bliss to the world, so, enjoy it while you can. It is worth it.