Asian News Service now estimates more than 55,000 dead

[Old Dude]

Revised death toll:

Sri Lanka - 17,640;
India - 8,523;
Indonesia - 27,174;
Thailand - 1,439;
Malaysia - 65;
Myanmar - 90;
Maldives - 55;
Bangladesh - 2;
Somalia - 100;
Tanzania - 10;

Total: 55,098.

Reports are sketchy from Bangladesh and the numbers could go higher there. If these figures are accurate, I wouldn't be surprised to see the final tally exceed 60,000.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/124534/1/.html

(Edited to add link)

[PatsWin2002]

This is far from over as there is no food, shelter, gas, etc. and major disease problems are looming.

The toll from this will probably be 75K. I'm sure there are remote areas that haven't been tallied yet.

The lack of warning was a huge problem....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&e=14&u=/usatoday/20041228/ts_usatoday/scientistsinusasawtsunamicoming

Minutes after a massive earthquake rocked the Indian Ocean on Sunday, international ocean monitors knew that a tsunami would likely follow. But they didn't know whom to tell.

"We put out a bulletin within 20 minutes, technically as fast as we could do it," says Jeff LaDouce of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. LaDouce says e-mails were dispatched to Indonesian officials, but he doesn't know what happened to the information.

The problem is that Sunday's earthquake struck the unmonitored Indian Ocean. An international system of buoys and monitoring stations - the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center based in Hawaii - spans the Pacific, alerting nations there to any oncoming disasters. But no such system guards the Indian Ocean.

[Garcia Bronco]

Population control

[Old Dude]

Bloomberg is also putting it at over 50,000.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000101&sid=aTmnM.5ZETcs&refer=japan

With contaminated drinking water, water-born diseases and millions of homeless people, the secondary effects are going to be even more horrifying.

[Old Dude]

Apparently, there has been no contact with most of the people on the Andaman and Nicobar islands, and some of the outlying islands in the Maldives.

We could be looking at a case of whole tribes of people being swept off their islands.

"Indian police said 3000 people were confirmed dead and 2000 believed dead in the Andaman and Nicobar island chain, bordering Indonesia and Myanmar. A series of moderate aftershocks have hit the islands.

No word has been heard from several of the islands which were home to thousands, including Great Nicobar."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3141808a12795,00.html

[Arkie]

Population control

Yeah, 4 for every 1,000,000 people have died.

[Rock Chalk]

there will be more than this.

Indonesia is the most densely populated country on Earth and every other country on that list is among the most densely populated countries on Earth.

Also consider that most of these countries do not have accurate census' nor does everyone in these countries have an ID card. Many people live in villages with no determinate number of people their government's know about.

I would imagine that conservatively, the death toll will rise up above 250K when all is said and done, including the after effects.

[Pezman]

there will be more than this.

Indonesia is the most densely populated country on Earth and every other country on that list is among the most densely populated countries on Earth.

Also consider that most of these countries do not have accurate census' nor does everyone in these countries have an ID card. Many people live in villages with no determinate number of people their government's know about.

I would imagine that conservatively, the death toll will rise up above 250K when all is said and done, including the after effects.

Wow... if that were the case, that number would be beyond stunning... we'd be talking about the worst natural disaster in modern history...

[Old Dude]

That would be pretty staggering, but I was kind of staggered to learn that in April of 1991, a cyclone killed nearly 140,000 people in Bangladesh.

That's about a dozen times the death toll of Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

And if you think that's bad, a Bangladesh Cyclone in 1970 killed between 300,000 and 500,000 people.

http://www.wmo.ch/wmo50/e/world/weather_pages/chronicle_e.html

Edited to add link and 1970 figures.

[Rock Chalk]

Cyclone = Pacific Hurricane

Very nasty, very dangerous in that region of the world.

140K I suspect is a conservative number there as well. These are third world countries that are basically just guessing at how many people died.

[Pezman]

That would be pretty staggering, but I was kind of staggered to learn that in April of 1991, a cyclone killed nearly 140,000 people in Bangladesh.

That's about a dozen times the death toll of Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

And if you think that's bad, a Bangladesh Cyclone in 1970 killed between 300,000 and 500,000 people.

http://www.wmo.ch/wmo50/e/world/weather_pages/chronicle_e.html

Edited to add link and 1970 figures.

Holy crap. That is shocking to read. I still think the numbers of this disaster will not be finalized for weeks but I cant imagine it being that bad...

[Garcia Bronco]

Most if these third world countries produce past their means anyway. That's why they'll have huge death tolls after the intial disaster.

[Sideburn]

I thought Typhoon = Pacific Hurricane. And a cyclone is a Southern Hemisphere Tornado.

[Garcia Bronco]

I thought Typhoon = Pacific Hurricane. And a cyclone is a Southern Hemisphere Tornado.


Monsoon I thought was a pacific h-cane

[bronco militia]

Monsoon I thought was a pacific h-cane
MONSOON=mon·soon ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mn-sn)
n.
A wind system that influences large climatic regions and reverses direction seasonally.

A wind from the southwest or south that brings heavy rainfall to southern Asia in the summer.
The rain that accompanies this wind.

..................Colorado has a Mansoon season in late summer

[Garcia Bronco]

Cyclone is a cooler name than Tornado

And Typhoon is slightly cooler than Hurricane...

West Coast Weather bias!

[PatsWin2002]

Just checked CNN for an update......this is unreal.


Tsunami death toll tops 80,000
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/29/asia.quake/index.html

Deaths by country:

Sri Lanka: 23,015 -- For information about local residents in Sri Lanka, call + 94 11 536 1938; for tourists the number is + 94 11 243 7061.

India: At least 10,000 -- To contact representatives from India, call + 91 11 2309 3054.(Full story)

Indonesia: 45,268 (Full story)

Thailand: 1,830 -- Thai emergency hotline + 66 2643 5262 and 2643 5000 (Full story)

Myanmar: 90

Malaysia: 65

Maldives: 46 -- Government hotline + 44 20 7224 2149 (Full story)

Tanzania: 10

Bangladesh: 2

Somalia: Kenyan media reports hundreds dead

Kenya: Kenyan media reports one death

Seychelles: Unconfirmed reports of deaths

[PatsWin2002]

http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2004/12/29/deadly_waves_explained/

Deadly waves explained
December 29, 2004

Q. What is a tsunami?

A. A tsunami is a series of ocean waves that are generated by a large-scale disturbance of seawater. Most tsunamis are generated from earthquakes, but they can also occur after volcanic eruptions, landslides, and meteor impacts. The most destructive tsunamis are created by large earthquakes with an epicenter or fault line near or on the ocean floor. Usually, it takes an earthquake with a strength above 7.5 on the Richter scale to generate a destructive tsunami.

Q. Where do they occur most frequently?

A. The Pacific Ocean. The ocean covers more than one-third of the earth's surface and is surrounded by a region with many earthquakes and volcanoes known as the ''ring of fire." Tsunamis in the Indian Ocean are much rarer -- the last big one was in the 19th century. While tsunamis occur in the Atlantic Ocean, they are infrequent.

Q. What caused this week's earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean?

A. The earth's crust consists of slowly-moving tectonic plates, and two of these plates collided deep under the Indian Ocean about 155 miles southeast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, with the Indian plate diving under the Eurasian plate. The collision suddenly lifted a strip of seafloor hundreds of miles long, by an estimated 20 to 50 feet, which displaced a massive amount of water and started the tsunami. The earthquake registered 9.0 on the Richter scale, making it the most powerful in 40 years and fourth strongest in the last 100 years.

Q. How does a tsunami travel so fast and far across an ocean?

A. After an underwater earthquake, waves spread in all directions, much like the ripples a rock creates when it is thrown into a lake. The widely spaced tsunami waves, carrying an enormous amount of energy, travel unobstructed and often unnoticeable in the deep ocean at speeds of approximately 500 miles per hour. When these waves approach coastal areas, the sloping seafloor redirects the wave's energy upward. Some waves can reach 50 feet or higher and travel inland a mile or more. Some eyewitnesses reported this week's tsunami reached heights of 22 to 25 feet.

Q. Is a tsunami the same as a tidal wave?

A. Yes, although technically the term ''tidal wave" is a misnomer because tsunamis are not caused by the tidal cycle. The word tsunami is Japanese, a combination of ''tsu," meaning harbor, and ''nami," meaning wave.

Q. Can underwater earthquakes and tsunamis be predicted?

A. Not very well. While scientists have invested an enormous amount of effort in attempting to predict underwater earthquakes, many still occur with little or no warning. Tsunamis are also difficult to predict because not every large earthquake produces a strong tsunami. The false alarm rate for tsunamis is more than 50 percent.

Q. How far can the waves travel and still cause harm?

A. The waves are so powerful they can cause devastation thousands of miles from the earthquake's epicenter. This week's tsunami caused deaths in Somalia, 3,000 miles from the quake's epicenter.

Q. Why did the water recede right before the tsunami hit shore in Asia?

A. Because a tsunami is a series of waves, sometimes the trough -- the lowest point in a wave -- reaches shore first and the sea looks as if it is emptying, an effect often called a drawdown. Minutes later, the crest of the wave hits. This cycle can be repeated for several waves.

Q. Why wasn't anyone warned about the Indian Ocean tsunami?

A. Because of the rarity of tsunamis in the Indian Ocean, a warning system had not been set up in that region.

Q. What are the diseases most feared after this kind of disaster?

A. Typhoid is a major concern because the bacterium that causes it can spread easily in fetid water. Such water can also harbor cholera and hepatitis A. Authorities are also watching for outbreaks of malaria, a mosquito-borne disease. Conditions could be disastrously ripe for an outbreak of that viral illness: Refugees often will have neither the shelter of home nor netting that can prevent mosquitoes from reaching their human targets, and brackish standing water can be an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

[clarkster]

it is tragic and terrible and words that dont even exist, however, one has to think of it as Ma Nature making it known that the human race has become a little arrogant. it all happens for a reason.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

it is tragic and terrible and words that dont even exist, however, one has to think of it as Ma Nature making it known that the human race has become a little arrogant. it all happens for a reason.
Well, earthquakes and tsunamis aren't anything new but increased human populations on coastlines all over the world are.

[orangeatheist]

...one has to think of it as Ma Nature making it known that the human race has become a little arrogant. it all happens for a reason.

"Mother Nature" doesn't do things to make a point. Human arrogance had nothing to do with the earthquake or subsequent tsunami. When the forces that move the continental plates converge at such a point that one of the plates "slips" below the other one an earthquake ensues. If that slippage occurs underwater the forces displace water and these "ripples" cause tsunamis. There is no point in them. They are no more "meaningful" than the ripples caused by a child throwing a rock into a pond. Cause and effect is all they are.

In this instance, however, the earthquake was large enough to cause a series of waves that crashed into populated areas around the surrounding sea. Unfortunate victims who happened to be in the area suffered the effects of normal earth forces.

If these are the "reasons" you refer to in your quip, "it all happens for a reason," then I concur. If, however, you have different "reasons" for why this tragedy occurred, please elaborate.

[kappys]

Over 70k+ now and rising....

Hurricane = Atlantic storm cell, Typhoon = Pacific storm cell, Cyclone = Indian Ocean storm cell. Remember the Indian Ocean is huge, though not quite Pacific or Atlantic size.

Monsoon = predictable weather pattern of lots of rain. Most prominent in hot, equatorial climates where extremely hot weather and strong sun(in May/June), causes lots of evaporation of ocean water, seeding giant storm clouds which typically roll over the land in July/August releasing huge quantities of rain. These are not generally violent storms that lead to a lot of destruction, though some predictable flooding is very typical.

[orangeatheist]

Over 70k+ now and rising.....

When I've had a chance, I've glanced at the news services online to keep up with what is going on. I've been seeing picture after picture of grief striken parents lamenting over the loss of their children. In some cases, entire families but one grandmother, or daughter, or uncle have vanished.

My heart aches. My stomach churns.

Last night, when I was tucking my little girl into bed I gave her a few extra kisses and a longer hug than is usual.

I cannot imagine --don't want to imagine-- what these poor people are going through. Words cannot express.....

[Rock Chalk]

Over 70k+ now and rising....

Hurricane = Atlantic storm cell, Typhoon = Pacific storm cell, Cyclone = Indian Ocean storm cell. Remember the Indian Ocean is huge, though not quite Pacific or Atlantic size.

Monsoon = predictable weather pattern of lots of rain. Most prominent in hot, equatorial climates where extremely hot weather and strong sun(in May/June), causes lots of evaporation of ocean water, seeding giant storm clouds which typically roll over the land in July/August releasing huge quantities of rain. These are not generally violent storms that lead to a lot of destruction, though some predictable flooding is very typical.

Monsoon=3 months of rain ;)

My best friend said when the Monsoon comes in Vietnam, that while it is there you will see every type of rain that nature has to offer.

[Rock Chalk]

"Mother Nature" doesn't do things to make a point. Human arrogance had nothing to do with the earthquake or subsequent tsunami. When the forces that move the continental plates converge at such a point that one of the plates "slips" below the other one an earthquake ensues. If that slippage occurs underwater the forces displace water and these "ripples" cause tsunamis. There is no point in them. They are no more "meaningful" than the ripples caused by a child throwing a rock into a pond. Cause and effect is all they are.

In this instance, however, the earthquake was large enough to cause a series of waves that crashed into populated areas around the surrounding sea. Unfortunate victims who happened to be in the area suffered the effects of normal earth forces.

If these are the "reasons" you refer to in your quip, "it all happens for a reason," then I concur. If, however, you have different "reasons" for why this tragedy occurred, please elaborate.

Prove mother nature isn't lashing back. Not by stating what happens, anyone who was in high school and took geography/geology can explain what makes an earthquake happen. But no one, and I mean no one, can prove why. Scientific explainations can only explain what, not why.

To prove it, give me your best subject, the one you know more about than any other. Explain it to me and I bet you I can make you say "Im not sure" and I bet you that eventually, even with all the knowledge on that subject at your fingertips I can still make you say "I don't know".

Because you cannot prove the why. Not for those of faith, not for the faithless. You cannot prove it either way, all you can do is believe. Your belief in whatever is no different than his.

[DB-Freak]

The question is why it happens not how it happens.

There

for the people who dont wanna read alec's long winded post.

[Bronco Yoda]

CNN just announced that there are more warnings due to aftershocks.

[PatsWin2002]

Tsunami death toll tops 116,000

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (CNN) -- The death toll from Sunday's tsunamis has jumped sharply to over 116,000 after Indonesia reported nearly 80,000 people were killed in that country alone.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/30/asia.quake/index.html

[Old Dude]

Horrible.

[Rock Chalk]

Tsunami death toll tops 116,000

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (CNN) -- The death toll from Sunday's tsunamis has jumped sharply to over 116,000 after Indonesia reported nearly 80,000 people were killed in that country alone.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/30/asia.quake/index.html

I knew it would get ridiculously high and I can promise you its no where even close to being over.

How many bodies were washed out to sea?

We will never know.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Not a word of that I have heard on the mainstream, anti business newswires - just the stuff about the US Goverment being stingy and all corporations being evil and oppressive.

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/markets/marketfeatures/10201151.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=538 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><!--this images must align right--><SCRIPT>if (document.cookie.indexOf("STATUS") == -1) {document.write('http://images.thestreet.com/tsc/common/images/ads/memboxes_noemail_uprright.gif (https://secure2.thestreet.com/cap/prm.do?PID=PRFR-0003&OID=002773)');}</SCRIPT>[/url] <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD vAlign=top width=477>Private Sector Tsunami Aid Grows
http://www.thestreet.com/tsc/c.gif
By [url="http://apps.thestreet.com/cms/email/yahooEmailStory.do?storyId=10201151&authorId=1004889&storyUrl=/_yahoo/markets/marketfeatures/10201151.html"]Matthew Goldstein (https://secure2.thestreet.com/cap/prm.do?PID=PRFR-0003&OID=002773)
Senior Writer
12/30/2004 11:43 AM EST </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

The list of U.S. companies donating money, medical supplies and other services to the victims of the Asian earthquake and tsunami is growing quickly.

The corporate relief effort is badly needed, with the death toll from the killer waves recently surpassing 110,000, according to the Associated Press. In coming weeks, health officials fear, tens of thousands more people are at critical risk from disease borne by unsanitary conditions.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=336 height=280><SCRIPT>document.write('<NOLAYER>');if (document.cookie.indexOf("ad_cookie") == -1) {document.write('<IFRAME SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/thestreet.com/markets;kval=marketfeatures;ptile=2;sz=336x280;ord =1104429838807?" width="336" height="280" frameborder="no" border="0" MARGINWIDTH="0" MARGINHEIGHT="0" SCROLLING="no">');} else {var cookieKval = readCookie('ad_cookie');document.write('<IFRAME SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/thestreet.com/markets;kval=marketfeatures;kval=' + cookieKval + ';ptile=2;sz=336x280;ord=1104429838807?" width="336" height="280" frameborder="no" border="0" MARGINWIDTH="0" MARGINHEIGHT="0" SCROLLING="no">');}</SCRIPT><NOLAYER></NOLAYER><ILAYER id=bigunit width="336" visibility="hidden" height="280"></ILAYER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Beyond the threat of deadly illness, the monster 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami left millions of people homeless in several countries, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. The devastation has created a crying need for everything from clean water to heavy equipment to clear debris and bury the dead.

If you're interested in making your own donation, a superb online starting point is the "Network for Good" site (http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/international/earthquake/tsunami122604.aspx) that was set up in 2001 by America Online, Cisco Systems (CSCO (http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&symb=CSCO):Nasdaq - commentary (http://find.thestreet.com/cgi-bin/texis/find/results.html?tkr=CSCO) - research (http://thestreet.multexinvestor.com/reports.aspx?ticker=CSCO)) and Yahoo! (YHOO (http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&symb=YHOO):Nasdaq - commentary (http://find.thestreet.com/cgi-bin/texis/find/results.html?tkr=YHOO) - research (http://thestreet.multexinvestor.com/reports.aspx?ticker=YHOO)).

To date, one of the biggest corporate donations is a $35 million pledge from Pfizer (PFE (http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&symb=PFE):NYSE - commentary (http://find.thestreet.com/cgi-bin/texis/find/results.html?tkr=PFE) - research (http://thestreet.multexinvestor.com/reports.aspx?ticker=PFE)). The world's biggest drugmaker is contributing both cash and medications to the relief effort.

The Pfizer donation matches the $35 million initial contribution the U.S. government is sending to the affected nations. Other pharmaceutical companies also are big contributors of cash and medicine to the stricken nations. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ (http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&symb=JNJ):NYSE - commentary (http://find.thestreet.com/cgi-bin/texis/find/results.html?tkr=JNJ) - research (http://thestreet.multexinvestor.com/reports.aspx?ticker=JNJ)) is donating $2 million. Abbott Laboratories (ABT (http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&symb=ABT):NYSE - commentary (http://find.thestreet.com/cgi-bin/texis/find/results.html?tkr=ABT) - research (http://thestreet.multexinvestor.com/reports.aspx?ticker=ABT)) is contributing medical supplies valued at $2 million. Beleaguered Merck (MRK (http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&symb=MRK):NYSE - commentary (http://find.thestreet.com/cgi-bin/texis/find/results.html?tkr=MRK) - research (http://thestreet.multexinvestor.com/reports.aspx?ticker=MRK)) is donating $250,000. Several big banks also are stepping up to the plate. Citigroup (C (http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&symb=C):NYSE - commentary (http://find.thestreet.com/cgi-bin/texis/find/results.html?tkr=C) - research (http://thestreet.multexinvestor.com/reports.aspx?ticker=C)) is contributing $3 million to the relief effort. The world's biggest financial services firm also will match employee donations to organizations providing disaster relief. J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM (http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&symb=JPM):NYSE

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[bronco militia]

OMG!


Indonesia Needs Help, Death Toll Expected To Exceed 400,000
Thu Dec 30 2004 12:52:01 ET

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The death toll in Acheh, the region worst hit by last Sunday's tsunami, may exceed 400,000 as many affected areas could still not be reached for search and rescue operations, Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia Drs H. Rusdihardjo said Thursday.

He said the estimate was based on air surveillance by Indonesian authorities who found no signs of life in places like Meulaboh, Pulau Simeulue and Tapak Tuan while several islands off the west coast of Sumatera had "disappeared".

He said the latest death toll of more than 40,000 in Acheh and northern Sumatera did not take into account the figures from the other areas, especially in the west of the region.

"Aerial surveillance found the town of Meulaboh completely destroyed with only one buiding standing. The building, which belonged to the military, happens to be on a hill," he told reporters after receiving RM1 million in aid for Indonesia's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund here Thursday.

Rusdihardjo said there were about 150,000 residents in Meulaboh, which was located 150km from the epicentre of the earthquake while Pulau Simeuleu had a population of 76,000.

Ambassador Rusdihardjo said a combination of earthquake and tsunami had left 80 to 100 per cent of infrastructure in Acheh province, such as hospitals, health centres, transport and communication networks and homes, destroyed.

"Looking at the scale of destruction, it's difficult to say when the search and rescue operations can be mounted in all affected areas," he said.

He said rescue efforts were hampered by transportation difficulties and lack of fuel.

Rusdihardjo said that at this time international help, especially in the form of medicines, clean water, food and clothing, were desperately needed by Indonesia to aid survivors in Acheh.

"Now we are worried about the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, the work of disposing corpses and the absence of clean water following the contamination of water sources," he said.

It would take years before the situation returned to normal, he said, adding that the Indonesian government was not able to estimate losses caused by the tragedy as yet.

He expressed his gratitude to Malaysia's help although the country itself was hit with 66 lives lost so far and property to the tune of millions of ringgit destroyed.

"We are deeply touched," he said.

Rusdihardjo said Indonesia was also seeking Malaysia's cooperation to mount search and rescue operations from its shores because of the close proximity of the two countries.

-- BERNAMA

Developing...

[PatsWin2002]

I knew it would get ridiculously high and I can promise you its no where even close to being over.

How many bodies were washed out to sea?

We will never know.

I agree. Some of those places are so remote and tribal that there will never be an accurate count anyway.

I know it's ghoulish to watch this number to go up like I'm watching an election return, but this is fascinating stuff. What a tragedy.

I downloaded a few of the tsunami vids off the net (like 5Mb - 10Mb) and there is some decent footage, but nothing indicating what the actual results were. It's just hard to picture that same thing or worse for thousands of miles of coastline.

We lost over 3,000 people on 9/11 and this is so many times greater than that I can't even comprehend it.

[Rock Chalk]

Horrible.

For some reason this thread isn't loading right for me.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia said today that the death toll might exceed 400,000 in Indonesia alone.

[Rock Chalk]

Something about this whole thing sounds odd to me.

Granted, this is a tragedy and we should help regardless of who it is.

But I find it curious that the most populated Muslim nation in the world is not afraid of asking for our help now.

By all means, help them, this goes beyond any political or religious differences, but for being the big evil empire that we are, when there is trouble who is the first place everyone looks to? The good ole U.S.A. Sure we are rich, but we are under no obligation to help anyone but ourselves right? I mean, as far as evilness and vileness and hatred and contempt for the rest of the world, if you believe the media, we shouldnt be helping anyone right?

But no, thats not the way it works.

Because this is not the evil empire and we are not an evil nation. We give help to anyone and everyone who needs it and asks for it. A policy we have maintained for many decades now and a policy I am firmly behind. Not only our government, the big bad evil government, but our big bad evil corporations are pledging their assistance as well.

The most ironic thing of all is that in 6 months, when it is no longer headline news, everything goes back to normal and the USA gets to be the big bad evil nation again.

[PatsWin2002]

For some reason this thread isn't loading right for me.

Me either.

There's a JavaScript error....I think because of the Ad in Big Guy's post. The footer of the page never comes up after that.

[Rock Chalk]

I put Big Guy on ignore (just because of that post, not for anything he said or did) and it loaded right after that.

[alkemical]

Experts: Tsunami Kills Few Animals

Wed Dec 29, 6:18 AM ET

By GEMUNU AMARASINGHE, Associated Press Writer

YALA NATIONAL PARK, Sri Lanka - Wildlife officials in Sri Lanka expressed surprise Wednesday that they found no evidence of large-scale animal deaths from the weekend's massive tsunami — indicating that animals may have sensed the wave coming and fled to higher ground.




An Associated Press photographer who flew over Sri Lanka's Yala National Park in an air force helicopter saw abundant wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, deer, and not a single animal corpse.


Floodwaters from the tsunami swept into the park, uprooting trees and toppling cars onto their roofs — one red car even ended up on top of a huge tree — but the animals apparently were not harmed and may have sought out high ground, said Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, whose Jetwing Eco Holidays ran a hotel in the park.


"This is very interesting. I am finding bodies of humans, but I have yet to see a dead animal," said Wijeyeratne, whose hotel in the park was totally destroyed in Sunday's tidal surge.


"Maybe what we think is true, that animals have a sixth sense," Wijeyeratne said.


Yala, Sri Lanka's largest wildlife reserve, is home to 200 Asian Elephants, crocodile, wild boar, water buffalo and gray langur monkeys. The park also has Asia's highest concentration of leopards. The Yala reserve covers an area of 391 square miles, but only 56 square miles are open to tourists.


The human death toll in Sri Lanka surpassed 21,000. Forty foreigners were among 200 people in Yala who were killed.