Tidal wave alert over warship

[emad]

By Dick Murray, Evening Standard
14 January 2005

A wrecked Second World War ship lying in the Thames packed with explosives could cause a tidal wave if it blew up, a secret government report has revealed.

Damage costing £1 billion would occur over a radius of more than 12 miles if the SS Richard Montgomery's munitions cargo exploded and "a mass explosion is considered possible," according to the shock report.

Much of the damage would be caused by flying glass and debris. But an explosion would also generate a tidal wave up to a metre high which "could possibly swamp local coastal communities".
with pleasure craft - the wave could reach up to three metres. .......

Despite these dire warnings, the Government has yet to publish its risk assessment on the US liberty ship, which sank in 1944 with about 1,400 tonnes of high explosive and a vast quantity of white phosphorus munitions on board.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonnews/articles/15942358?source=Evening%20Standard

[amazona]

1. if the reporter still doesn't know what a tidal wave is...

...then I'm going to retain my skepticism about the accuracy of the rest of the article.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[Squatch]

3. That's still the vernacular.

"Tidal Wave" is a misnomer, as we all know, but it's still the most common term used for seismic waves.

[Massachusetts]

4. Poor Martha

[Squatch]

2. That would be pretty cool to see, you have to admit.

Underwater shake and bake. (HE/WP)