Thom@s From Norway, joined Oct 2000, 11951 posts, RR: 50 Posted (8 years 5 months 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 795 times:
This is a story from a few days back now, and I haven't got all the info on it, so if anyone can assist, that would be great.
Anyway, a small group of people ran along a beach in peru or chile or some country in that area, shouting that a massive wave was coming. The rumor spread quickly and soon thousands of people fled in panic towards higher grounds. Many are supposed to have been injured during the panic that followed, and several killed.
So two questions: Can anyone supply more info on this story?
And what kind of stupid idiots would start a false rumor like that!? I hope they were caught and sent to help out the people of Indonesia.
Thom@s
"If guns don't kill people, people kill people - does that mean toasters don't toast toast, toast toast toast?"
CONCEPCION, Chile, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Thousands of Chileans fled their coastal homes Monday after hearing false reports of a killer tsunami heading their way.
Authorities say some 12,000 in cities in southern Chile left their homes hysterical after hearing reports a massive wall of water was heading their way.
The false alarm comes in the wake of last month's tsunami that killed more than 160,000 in Southern and Southeast Asia.
La Tercera newspaper's online edition Monday reported an earthquake off the coast of Australia may have prompted the panic and mass flight.
Chilean officials said the exodus -- which resulted in at least four traffic accidents and numerous cases of shock -- could also have been the result of a prank or rumor that quickly spread throughout seaside communities.
Lehpron From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 7028 posts, RR: 22 Reply 3, posted (8 years 5 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 742 times:
I hear of incidents where in Hawaii there are tsumani warnings and people get upset when a 6-inch high wave comes in and they call it a false warning, or that the scientists were over-reacting -- and this was before the big one last December.
It's still a tsunami, it doesn't have to kill you to exist; when earthquakes ocur underwater a tsunami will result, size is dependent on the earthquakes' strength. To panic is just stupid, people should inform themselves on how to evacuate properly; I think in Japan they have monthly programs to train locals on how to deal with the event.
If this case was spurred on by people who thought it was funny...well, slap'em around a bit.
The meaning of life is curiosity; we were put on this planet to explore opportunities.
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