Asteroids, Tsunamis, and Drills, Drills, Drills.

By this time most people are aware that the first ever Emergency Alert System Nationwide Test  scheduled for November 9, 2011. Coincidentally, or not so coincidentally, this test is occurring at the same time Asteroid 2005 YU55 will be passing between the moon and the earth. Fortunately, the asteroid is not supposed to make contact with either the earth or moon.

However, I found the following comment posted by a former NASA employee quite interesting.

In addition, the United Nations has scheduled a massive tsunami drill (below),  not to mention, over 200 agencies are involved - including the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, TSA, National Guard, members of the health care community, and local police and first responders for a total of 8,000 people - in a drill that will simulate a devastating nuclear bomb being detonated in the heart of the capital city of Arizona.

Exercise Pacific Wave 11

PacWave11 will be held on 9-10 November 2011 as a multi-scenario exercise that will allow all PTWS countries to exercise using a destructive local or regional tsunami scenario. PacWave 11 will also be used to introduce new tsunami advisory products of the PTWC that were proposed by the PTWS Enhanced Tsunami Warning Products Task Team and approved by ICG/PTWS-XXIV. IOC Circular Letter 2390 was issued on 13 May 2011 announcing the exercise and requesting PTWS Countries to nominate a PacWave11 focal point. IOC Manual and Guides 58 on How to Plan, Conduct, and Evaluate Tsunami Exercises was issued in July 2011. The PacWave11 Exercise Manual (IOC TS 97) was published in August 2011. UNESCO will issue a press release on 1 November 2011.

Links:

A Pacific Wide Tsunami Warning and Communication Exercise 9-10 November 2011 Exercise Manual