NOAA Cuts Tsunami Data Funding: Threatening Safety, Ignoring Warnings
NOAA is ending a contract that enables the Alaska Earthquake Center to provide crucial seismic data used to monitor and warn against potential tsunamis in Alaska. This data, which is fed directly to NOAA’s National Tsunami Center, is essential for issuing timely warnings. The Alaska Earthquake Center was informed in late September that funding was unavailable, leading to the anticipated cessation of data feeds in mid-November. This loss of data poses significant risks, particularly from remote locations like the Aleutian Islands, as the data collection is vital for broader warning systems, as evidenced by the deadly 1946 tsunami that originated near the Aleutians.
John Q. Hosedrinker