A Harvard professor believes that a tsunami bigger than the one that killed close to 300,000 people in December 2004 is possible in the Sumatran region, a media report said on Tuesday.
Professor James Rice believes such a tsunami is a 'very real possibility' in the Sumatran region, Singapore-based Channel News Asia said.
'There is going to be an earthquake that will produce a massive tsunami in that part of Sumatra, with considerable ground-shaking that will affect Singapore and South Malaysia more than the one in December 2004,' Rice was quoted as saying.
He pointed out that the average repeat time of such earthquakes is 200 to 300 years.
'It could be anywhere from tomorrow to 400 years from now. It's very unlikely anyone living now in that area will experience another big tsunami in their lifetime,' said Rice.
While it may be impossible to escape from nature's wrath, there are lessons to be learnt.
'When they live along a margin susceptible to tsunami, everyone should know that when the water retreats you don't follow it out of curiosity, you get to higher ground as fast as you can. There ought to be regular posted signs along the beaches,'' the Channel News Asia report quoted Prof Rice as saying.
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