Up to 20 million tons of debris from Japan’s tsunami moving toward Hawaii, U.S.

[Dark Knight]

Some 5 to 20 million tons of debris--furniture, fishing boats, refrigerators--sucked into the Pacific Ocean in the ake of Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami are moving rapidly across the Pacific. Researchers from the University of Hawaii tracking the wreckage estimate it could approach the U.S. West Coast in the next three years, the UK Daily Mail reports.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/envoy/20-million-tons-debris-japan-tsunami-moving-toward-143640503.html

 

[LadyL]

gosh I hadn't even thought about all the debris still in the ocean ...

 

[sunflowerchick]

Doesn't it just sink and stay on the bottom? Does it move across the ocean floor? If it is floating why would it take three years?

 

[Quiche]

The disaster that keeps on giving... I just hope it not radioactive, if it's not, that will be half the fight. imo

 

[MagicRose99]

Doesn't it just sink and stay on the bottom? Does it move across the ocean floor? If it is floating why would it take three years?

I believe they're talking about "floating" things (one of the items they picked up was a fishing boat) and it would take approximately three years because it's moving with the current / tide.

Remember when the tsunami hit and the west coast got it's back lash? Now it's going to get it's debris over the next few years or so.

 

[Steely Dan]

Why can't they send salvage ships to pick it up. Anything that can be recycled could be sold to help finance the mission.

 

[essies]

[video=youtube;p4nigKM7lYE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4nigKM7lYE[/video]

 

[Peepers]

I heard on Good Morning America, the debris is "twice the size of Texas". Wow!!!!