Indonesia Needs Help, Death Toll Expected To Exceed 400,000

[truthpusher]

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=111574

December 30, 2004 22:50 PM

Indonesia Needs Help, Death Toll Expected To Exceed 400,000

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.

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=111574

[Cerridwen]

1. *stunned*

:cry:

[Ganja Ninja]

2. Sorta makes the 9/11 attack look pretty petty.

Imagine if it happened here. I don't think we would ever get over it.

[Richard D]

3. They may not either.

Can't even imagine what that country must be going through.

[starroute]

16. People are more resilient than that

That part of the world has always been subject to devastating earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. When it happens, it's horrendous, but life always goes on.

I just found an interesting tsunami page which serves to give some historical perspective -- http://www.drgeorgepc.com. The Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 is particularly striking as an example of an absolutely appalling event which is totally forgotten today (except perhaps by fans of Voltaire's "Candide"):

http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami1755Lisbon.html

In the morning of November 1, 1755, a large earthquake struck Lisbon - a great city legendary for its wealth, prosperity and sophistication. It was Sunday and the religious holiday of All Saints. Most of Lisbon's population of 250,000 were praying in six magnificent cathedrals, including the great Basilica de Sao Vincente de Fora. Within minutes, this great thriving city-port of Lisbon, capital of Portugal and of the vast Portuguese empire and seat of learning in Europe, was reduced to rubble by the two major shocks of this great earthquake and the waves of the subsequent catastrophic tsunami. A huge fire completed the destruction of the great city.

The main shock of the great earthquake struck Portugal at 9:40 in the morning of November 1, 1775. At that time, there were no instruments to record or measure earthquakes but experts have estimated that the magnitude of the Great Lisbon Earthquake must have been 8.6 or even greater. The observations of the effects and the ground motions suggest a moment magnitude closer to 9.0.

<snip>

The quake's rocking ground motions weakened and cracked Lisbon's buildings which collapsed into the city's narrow streets below, crashing the panicked survivors seeking escape. People ran to the edge of the city and into the fields. Others sought refuge on the banks of the Tagus river, only to perish shortly thereafter by the waves of a huge tsunami.

The destruction caused by the earthquake was beyond description. Lisbon's great cathedrals, Basilica de Santa Maria, Sao Vincente de Fora, Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina, the Misericordia - all full of worshipers - collapsed, killing thousands. Lisbon's whole quay and the marble-built Cais De Pedra along the Tagus disappeared into the river, burying with it hundreds of people who had sought refuge.

The ultimate effect of the quake was to cause people to put less faith in God and more in science -- so in that sense, the trauma it produced was a major factor leading to the modern secular world. Our current obsession with pre-empting potential threats from natural disasters can also be traced back to that single event. But the event itself is barely remembered.

[Pithy Cherub]

4. just heartbreaking...

So many people, just gone... heartbroken

[jobycom]

5. And the ones that remain

Nothing resembling their old life will ever return.

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

6. Acheh is hotbed of pro-AlQueda sentiment...this is why Bush doesn't care

In his twisted mind (small as it may be), there's 400,000 fewer foreign "killers" to worry about. Sick...sick...sick.

JB

[ally_sc]

11. you know you're right...sick crap that bushie eom

[Stephanie]

7. That can't be!

400,000! I can't wrap my mind around it. 400,000? Will Bush leave the ranch now?

[jayfish]

12. Try To See It As Four...

of these.



Very sobering.

Jay

[ktowntennesseedem]

19. Neyland Stadium at Tennessee is only slightly smaller.

I keep trying to imagine the mob on gameday being wiped out, and then imagine the friends and families of those killed, and the countless lives that would be effected by such a tragedy.

It hurts my head to imagine 100,000. I can't even begin to imagine multiplying by 4 or even more.

[bleedingheart]

8. all those troops in Iraq would be better used in this tragedy..

better to help the living than to bomb them...

[Massachusetts]

15. Good point!

That leads to the question, What if a tragedy of such proportion hits North America, with Troops and Equipment streched as it is?

[ashmanonar]

17. that's what the national guard is supposed to be here for...

and where are all of them? including a close friend of mine, in a few weeks?

getting killed in iraq.

[Ezlivin]

9. No more fantasies of idyllic island living for me

I lived in Hawaii for a few years and thought the place deserved the moniker "paradise". It had better winters than the ones I experienced in Florida (you know, those bitterly cold 65 degree days).

We had tsunami warnings and sirens mounted around the island, but I was too busy surfing and enjoying myself to ever seriously consider the threat posed.

To imagine that entire islands have vanished is gut-wrenching. Those people probably thought they had found paradise.

Such a pity.

[Walt Starr]

10. I've been predicting a death toll of between 250,000 and 500,000 for days

I may have to adjust upwards due to the rampant disease that will be hitting.

[jayfish]

13. I Have Seen Some...

rumors and, sadly, your numbers my be on the low side.

Jay

[TahitiNut]

20. It'll quickly exceed the death toll of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined.

That's for perspective ... like saying five to ten times the number of Americans killed in Vietnam. It's staggering. Even more staggering will be the obscene amount of profiteering on this human misery. Rare will be the company that foregoes profits on the selling of essentials in relieving the widespread misery and suffering.

[rainbow4321]

14. Tsunami/earthquake websites w/ video and survivor blogs

Here is a link that they mentioned on the news just now--has blogs and home video of the disaster.

http://waxy.org/

There was another one mentioned:

http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/

[Redstone]

18. Here's a list of American cities

of roughly 400,000 population (from year 2000 census):

Albuquerque city NM 448,607

Kansas City city MO 441,545

Fresno city CA 427,652

Virginia Beach city VA 425,257

Atlanta city GA 416,474

Sacramento city CA 407,018

Oakland city CA 399,484

Mesa city AZ 396,375

Tulsa city OK 393,049

Omaha city NE 390,007

Minneapolis city MN 382,618

Honolulu CDP HI 371,657

Miami city FL 362,470

Other well-known with quite a bit LESS than 400,000 population:

St. Louis city MO 348,189

Pittsburgh city PA 334,563

Cincinnati city OH 331,285

Toledo city OH 313,619

Tampa city FL 303,447

Buffalo city NY 292,648

I dunno about anyone else, but this list sure gives me some sobering perspective on the casualites. Damn.

Redstone

[idiosyncratic]

21. I wish we could stop the war so the U.S. could really help. n/t

[Moderator]

22. locking

Continue discussion here,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1109045