The US space agency NASA is monitoring near-earth asteroids to minimise the threat on the blue planet. Scientists said that over 700,000 asteroids have been spotted in space and almost five of these space rocks will turn into a threat for the earth. But recently it was revealed that an asteroid which is potentially on a collision course with earth, could cause climate change and tsunami that will be quite hard to survive.
The 'God of Chaos' Apophis
This asteroid is named after the Ancient Egyptian god of evil, darkness and destruction. Apophis is 1,100 feet (340 meters) wide and was discovered in 2004. Earlier, it was revealed that this asteroid will dangerously approach the earth on April 13, 2029. It should be also mentioned that as per many reports if a huge asteroid like Apophis hit the blue planet it will cause a global climate change and tsunami.
Apophis threat
A Blogger at science blog LetsRunWithIt.com, Steve Baker wrote in a Q&A site called Quora that the impact caused by Apophis could leave a five-kilometre wide crater- spewing debris over a couple of thousand square kilometres. He also mentioned that the asteroid contact with earth would be so devastating that it would destroy a single large city.
In the same post he mentioned that "If it landed in some deep ocean, there would be some serious tsunami damage." But he added that those tsunamis would be "no worse than other large tsunami's we've seen in the last few decades" such 2004 tsunami.
Is the world ready to face the next big Tsunami?
As per Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, the manager of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service's Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, "Tsunami forecasting is an excellent example of how science, diplomacy, and [international relations] come together for common good and to save lives."
But current studies suggested that even though it's a global matter and how to react during such a devastating crisis period is not one country's business, the world may not be enough prepared for the next significant tsunami.
Will Apophis hit earth in 2029?
The US space agency NASA said that there was a 2.7 per cent chance that the Apophis will hit the earth. But later, after studying its orbit of the Sun, scientists eventually able to effectively rule this impact out. NASA also mentioned that the asteroid will to return to the earth's vicinity seven years later on April 13, 2036, but it will not hit the blue planet. However, other space experts from all around the world are still worried about a potential impact on April 12, 2068.
