THE ASIAN TSUNAMI –
ONE YEAR ON:
ITS CONTEXT, CAUSES, AND CONSEQUENCES

LECTURE BY PHILIP STOTT, EMERITUS PROFESSOR
OF BIOGEOGRAPHY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
AND FORMER HEAD OF GEOGRAPHY AT THE SCHOOL
OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES
Thursday 19 January 2006, 6.30-8.00pm

In this lecture, Emeritus Professor Philip Stott will examine the geological
origins of the 2004 Asian earthquake and tsunami, comparing both its
magnitude and its impacts with other natural disasters from the past .
He will also draw geological parallels with with the eruptions of Vesuvius,
the 1755 Lisbon tsunami and with the 2005 Pakistan/Kashmir earthquake
and. Professor Stott will then go on to appraise, by using Asian examples,
the relative roles of technology, politics, economics, and civil society
in alleviating the outcomes of such natural disasters, from supervolcanoes
to tropical cyclones. He will conclude by contrasting enlightenment values
with disaster myth-making.

Stefan Kosciuszko, Chief Executive of Asia House, will provide an update
on Asia House Tsunami Fund one year on and outline some of the projects
which have benefited from the generous donations received. Dr. Orapin
Dawson will provide a parallel update for The Anglo Thai Society. This event
is presented in association with the Anglo Thai Society and will be followed
by a drinks reception.