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Water depths in Malacca Straits altered
Kuala Lumpur, Jan. 12. (PTI): The northern section of one of the world's busiest shipping channels, the Straits of Malacca, may have had its draught altered by several metres in the aftermath of the December 26 sub-sea earthquake, according to reports.

The reports said water depths in parts of the Straits of Malacca could have dropped from 4000 feet before the quake to as low as 100 feet.

Thousands of navigational aides, such as buoys held in place by mushroom-shaped anchors were carried off to new locations by 50-100-foot waves following the quake, a report in shipping journal Portsworld quoted by the Star newspaper said.

According to the US-based National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency it may take months if not years to re-chart altered coastlines throughout the region.

Old shipwrecks marked on charts had been relocated, joined by new wrecks that would have to be salvaged, moved or charted, Portsworld said.

The US agency, which analyses spy satellite imagery and produces maps and charts for the Defence department, has received an unconfirmed report that one area of the Straits of Malacca, which separates peninsular Malaysia from the Indonesian island of Sumatra had its depth cut from 4060 feet to 105 feet, the Star said.

In another area of tsunami-affected waters, a merchant marine ship had logged that the depth was cut fromn 3855 feet to just 92 feet, the Star said.

The US Navy would be sending two ships to begin efforts to re-chart the waters, it said.

[Guest]

Reuters is reporting that gondolas in Venice Italy are running aground and hotel docks hang in midair as the City suffers from severely falling canal levels to their lowest peak in a decade: 2.5 feet below sea level. Venice is normally flooding this time of year.

The Italians seem to be blaming it on the heavenly alignments but considering everything else, worldwide, I can't help but wonder.

As someone suggested, did the Quake open up a fissure in the Earth and the water is draining out? Sounds pretty far out, doesn't it...

[yoda]

Well, this seems quite interesting...