130,000+ people die due to tidal wave in Asia... (1 Viewer)

[Malcolm R]

Par for the course in much of the world today. Never able to look beyond faith-based petty bitterness, even if it means additional harm to your own people.

Perhaps they'll refuse U.S. aid as well. Most of the world seems to hate us anyway. It would be rather hypocritical of them to accept our help when we're such a bad, evil country.

 

[Mike Voigt]

CNN is at 80,000, with Red Cross/Red Crescent expectations abouve 100,000...

 

[Chris]

We just received email from my sis, who's back.. they say the numbers are going to go over 110,000 by morning.. primarily because numbers from smaller islands are finally being computed with guesstimates that they feel are already low.

 

[Mark_vdH]

Check out the photos (and videos) on this site.

 

[Henry Gale]

What site is that Mark?

 

[AaronMg]

Here are some frightening pictures of the calm before the wave.

(Thanks to Mark for the site.)

 

[BrianShort]

116,000 :frowning: I wouldn't be surprised if this comes close to 200,000. On the flip side, sometimes I wonder how accurately you can count so many people, either vastly overcounting, or missing people and being way under.

Brian

 

[Scott McGillivray]

The devastation is horrible. Just horrible. I have done some study of plate tectonics in geology in university, but I have never seen such destructive effects (and I guess no one living has!)

One thing that has been a real eye-opener in the videos is that the waves are not these Hollywood special effect 200' waves, but more like a storm surge seen during some hurricanes. It is more like the water level just rose by so many feet which is higher than the land and therefore floods it over. I really imagined these massive waves as seen in "Deep Impact" or "Abyss S.E."

Amazing how deadly water can be.

 

[Chris]

We just heard from my sister. She says that figuring in the loss of life after wards (ie, people who died in the days following or could not be saved, as well as numbers coming in from outlaying areas.. they are now projecting 450,000.

This number is -way- up because of the large number who have died in the post event, ie, people who died from injuries related to the flooding, sickness, as well as continual assessments.

The number is still climbing :frowning:

 

[todd s]

They should footage from the air of the island closest to the epicenter. The damage extends almost a mile inland. They said they saw a town of 12k that is completely obliterated and they only saw about 30 people nearby who survived. They estimate that part of Indonesia got hit with a 60'wave.

 

[MarkHastings]

As far as the news about aid being turned away...My boss was reading about all of this and said:

"It's amazing how we can spend millions of dollars to kill others, but we don't have a clue how to use our money to help others."

 

[MickeS]

That's part of the fascination for me with this whole tragedy. The contrast between the happy people playing in the water, and then the same water coming in and killing thousands. It's the whole man vs nature theme, we think we're in control of stuff... then what we think we control just comes and gives us a good "reality check", showing who's really in charge here, so to speak.

/Mike

 

[Brian Perry]

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Interesting the the NY Times is also calling the US pledges "miserly", commenting that the $15M initially pledged was half what is to be spent on the president's inaugural party. They also noted that the aid promised to Iran after its major quake still hasn't been delivered a year later.

 

[Chris_Morris]

But where have all the headlines screaming for this money been until now? Maybe they don't need anymore money? If we promised 15M, but the rebuilding only took 10M, should we still send the other 5? Would any of that overage get past the pockets of the Iranian leaders?

Chris

 

[Robert_Dufresne]

The death toll is now estimated at 70 000 and could double in the aftermath.

And here I am sitting comfortably at my computer.

 

[Malcolm R]

That's what's so heartbreaking...to me, anyway.

They keep showing the pictures and videos of the dead and the survivors who are starving, thirsty, and exhausted. I just wish I could reach through the television screen and hand them a big bag of food or a case of drinking water.

It seems so pointless and ineffectual to just contribute money via a mouse click that might, possibly, someday, provide some assistance several weeks or months from now. That is, if it reaches the end victims at all.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Well, I guess the perspective is that the leader of the country will spend twice as much on a party as his country will to help in the worst natural disaster seen in decades.

As for the Iran situation, it is fine and well to look generous when pledging support, but if it never comes through... Sure, they don't need any more money, and I'm sure that the Iranians are the only ones who could misappropriate budgeted funds. What does $10M buy these days? I suppose if Haliburton had cleanup contracts the money would be flowing like water.

As for the death figures, they will never know the exact numbers, but unless there is substantial aid to get fresh water and medical supplies in place immediately, thousands more will die needlessly. I agree that it is frustrating to know that we are basically powerless to help these people.

 

[SteveLa]

Glad to see there's some progress where I work. They initially weren't going to do much short of letting employees donate five bucks to wear jeans on Friday (Woo-hoo, considering probably 80% of the office is taking the day off), but after a lot of grousing from staff the office management has decided to match all Red Cross contributions dollar for dollar. It's the right thing to do especially after just wrapping up a record year profit-wise. Glad I held off on making additional donations, as now my money will go twice as far.

 

[Chris]

Just so it can be noted, because sometimes we get into these things and it's tricky..

The cost of innauguration is calculated into the budget the year before hand, and would have been spent (exact same ammount) no matter who was elected, it was already money set aside.

The money set aside for aid in regards to foreign matters right now is tricky because with congress out of session, it has to come from a common fund, which is not high-bankroll; more then that, federal emergency management dollars - the same area this would normally go to, is already over budget from '04 thanks to 3 hurricanes, etc. so procurement of wide reaching funds without congress is just not going to happen.

In regards to Iran, due to combinations of infighting within senate (of which both parties deserve a lot of blame) and stipulations placed on the funds to be given, money that was available went nowhere..

Finally.. today, we continue to get bad news from over there. Forget the numbers you are seeing; they are -way way- low from what everyone over there tells me, as they expect the number is easily over 250,000 and far closer to 400-500k. This is largely because the ability to count is so poor.

The situation over there is not healthy and the moment, and the greatest concern has dick-all to do with $$. It does have a lot to do with the cleanup of people and remains of people & animals & etc. to help clean free the water ways and promote sanitary conditions.

Everyone who can wield a shovel or get around is being recruited to play a part.