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The great earthquakes of Lisbon 1755 and Aceh 2004 shook the world. Seismologists' societal responsibility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2006

KARL FUCHS
KARL FUCHS
Affiliation:
University Fridericiana, Geophysical Institute, Hertz Srasse 16, Karlsruhe D-76187, Germany. E-mail: karl.fuchs@gpi.uni-karlsruhe.de
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Abstract

Two major earthquakes ‘which shook the world’, that of Lisbon of 1755 and that of Aceh/Sumatra of 2004, are compared. Both were catastrophic earthquakes with nearly identical magnitude M≈9 and accompanying destructive tsunamis. They are paradigms for Low Probability Extreme Events (LPEEs) and for the reaction of the societies in which they occurred, although 250 years apart. Modern seismology developed from its birth as disaster management following the Lisbon quake to a mature science, which however, still remains under the obligation to improve its role in enhancing society's preparedness for such catastrophes. The catastrophe of hurricane Katrina, which was predicted, showed that the realm of societal responsibility extends beyond that of scientific technical competence.

Type
Lisbon Earthquake: Part 1
Information
European Review , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , May 2006 , pp. 207 - 219
Copyright
Academia Europaea 2006

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