History Channel: Mega Disasters

[mel]

Mega Disasters (http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=mini_home&mini_id=1401) is a show I occasionally watch on The History Channel (http://www.history.com/). This coming week there will be an entire episode focused on a possible catastrophic volcano eruption and seismic event in Hawaii:

Mega Disasters : Hawaii Apocalypse Airs on Tuesday October 02 10:00 PM

Hawaii, 1868. The volcano, Mauna Loa, in its most spectacular eruption, spewed out enough lava to cover 40 percent of the Big Island. A similar eruption occurred in 1950. Now that the island has become developed, the potential for damage and loss from a major eruption is astronomical. Small villages have been replaced by large tourist resorts and luxury homes. Using state-of-the-art computer animation, take a look at how an event similar to 1868 would impact Hawaii. Watch buildings crumble during large earthquakes, see homes and resorts destroyed by speeding lava, and what's left of the island drown under tsunamis and mudflows. Thousands of people could be dead and the economy of this island paradise would be destroyed for years to come.

Mega Disasters : Hawaii Apocalypse Airs on Wednesday October 03 02:00 AM

Check the local listings for exact times in Hawaii and your home market. This looks like something interesting to watch and possibly record.

[Frankie's Market]

Using state-of-the-art computer animation, take a look at how an event similar to 1868 would impact Hawaii. Watch buildings crumble during large earthquakes, see homes and resorts destroyed by speeding lava, and what's left of the island drown under tsunamis and mudflows. Thousands of people could be dead and the economy of this island paradise would be destroyed for years to come.

As Mommy in Andy Bumatai's All In The Ohana would probably say, "Well, at least the Volcano National Park goin' get bigger." :D

[liberty]

I just a promo for this show yesterday. Sounds interesting... hope I remember to tune in. :)

[buzz1941]

We're on it, sort of (http://starbulletin.com/2007/10/02/features/dakine.html)

The A&E/History Channel publicists were singularly unhelpful.

[Pomai]

So did anyone catch the show?

I watched it twice (both 7 & 11pm). Its focus was mostly on Big Island and the dangers of a major eruption from Mauna Loa (again) and how it would affect primarily big island residents.

In 1868, Mauna Loa erupted and a major 8.0 earthquake occurred, killing 77 people, although they suspect the death toll was much higher.

The USGS experts interviewed (Poland and Trusdell) suggested there's also the possibility of Hualalai erupting (which would be catastrophic in its own right), as well as the possibility of Hualalai, Kilauaea AND Mauna Loa all erupting simultaneously, although highly unlikely.

It showed plenty of archived video footage and photos of past eruptions, lava flows and damaged property (burning and buried homes).

At the end there was a CGI-enhanced "what if" scenario scene of how a "Mega-Eruption" from Mauna Loa would quickly wipe out both Kona and Hilo.

The only mention of tsunamis was on the theory of a major landslide, which they said could generate a wave as high as 300 feet when it reaches the California coast and/or Japan. This segment was very brief.

There wasn't much about effects to other islands except vog and power outages.

In case of such a catastrophic event, they pointed out the main challenge would be an effective evacuation of the affected Big Island town(s), as roads would likely be damaged by earthquakes and/or blocked by lava flows, and the swiftness of the lava flow towards the ocean would give little time. Basically SOL.

History Channel will air it again on Thursday evening and Saturday morning.

Certainly a must-watch if you're a Big Island resident or have loved ones who live there. I do.

[oggboy]

Watched and taped this mega-disaster segment. Very informative to the facts of living on an active volcanic island. Not much mentioned about the effects the other islands would face, but I`m sure besides power outages we will face tsunamis and impassable roadways too!

[cynsaligia]

we watched it. there was one annoyance, tho--when they talked about how the earthquakes last october caused a power outage on oahu, they repeatedly said it lasted three days. most oahuans had power on by the following morning if not that very night (like we did at eric's house in kaimuki), but given what they were saying, plus the clips they were showing, they made it sound like everybody was in the dark, including the tourists in waikiki, for three long days. granted, a couple of times the scientists said something like, "if an earthquake on the big island can cause oahu to have a power outage lasting three days..." so it was more a hypothetical versus factual statement. but still. irking. *grumble*

otherwise, great show--very educational, exploring the disastrous results of what could happen while not being all "chicken little" about it. very cool to see the old footage comparing how sparsely populated areas were in the 50s versus today.