29 March 2006

Tsunamis the Catastrophic Event

Saturday Evening Lecture - April 1st, 2006

The catastrophic tragedy of the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 shocked the world, but why did it happen? Dr David Tappin of the British Geological Society examines the facts and discusses whether such a tsunami could affect the UK in the latest of the acclaimed Saturday Evening Lecture series at the University of Dundee.

An estimated 200,000 people lost their lives in the Asian tsunami and as the battle to rebuild homes, towns and communities continues, 15 months later, David Tappin, one of the leading experts on tsunamis, will focus on the December 2005 disaster and its aftermath.

Dr Tappin has worked for the British Geological Survey for over 30 years, mainly in the fields of marine and hydrocarbon geology both in the UK and also extensively overseas. He has been researching tsunamis since 1998 when he was invited to lead the marine surveys into the cause of the 17th July tsunami in Papua New Guinea, that claimed the lives of over 2,000 people. Since this time he has been working on tsunamis in Turkey, Hawaii and Bermuda, most recently taking part in three marine expeditions investigating the cause of the Indian Ocean event of 2004. The first of these took place immediately after the tsunami aboard HMS Scott, and was followed up by the BBC/Discovery funded expedition that resulted in the film 'The Unstoppable Wave' screened just before Christmas. Most recently Dr Tappin has returned from a German expedition in the same area.

Dr Tappin says, "Tsunamis are the underrated geological hazard compared to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, one of the objectives of the talk is to raise awareness of just how common and destructive they may be."

The lecture takes place in the newly re-named D’Arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre (formerly the Tower Extension Lecture Theatre) at the University of Dundee on Saturday 1st April at 6 pm. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend. The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception.

For further information contact:

Anna Day
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: a.c.day@dundee.ac.uk