Experts off to see how waves hit

A New Zealand impact assessment team will leave for Thailand at the weekend to inspect damage from the Boxing Day tsunami.

Team leader Hugh Cowan said yesterday that the scientists, earthquake engineers and emergency managers would research the impact of the huge waves on Thailand's west coast.

The team had earlier delayed the trip partly to avoid affecting rescue work.

The visit is organised by the Society of Earthquake Engineering, which sends reconnaissance teams overseas to gather information after earthquakes, tsunamis and eruptions.

Dr Cowan, of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, will lead six other scientists and engineers on a week-long visit to the Thai region, which has some similarities to this country.

Parts of New Zealand also faced significant tsunami threats and scientists, engineers and disaster managers were working to develop more effective strategies for detection, warning and lessening damage, he said.

The researchers will:

* Assess the way the tsunami waves arrived and how the behaviour of the tsunami was influenced by the shape of the coast and seabed.

* Investigate the impact of the waves on infrastructure such as roads, bridges, communications, water and waste, ports and jetties.

* Assess rescue and recovery efforts at a local and national level, including the demands arising from worldwide interest and concern.

In addition to Dr Cowan, the team members include Dr Rob Bell, a tsunami specialist and coastal engineer at Niwa (the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research), Dr Erica Dalziel, a risk management expert from Canterbury University's department of civil engineering, Noel Evans, a structural engineer, Lawrence Yule, a local government representative, Mike O'Leary, the Civil Defence Ministry's readiness manager, and Bernie Rush, an emergency management adviser for the ministry.

- NZPA