NationStates Jolt Archive

The count of the dead is now above 21000 and climbing. This one even affected parts of Eastern Africa in Somalia and Kenya. While this is not exactly a nice stat, it does remind us the Earth is far from stable as we are really living on eggshells floating on a sea of fire.

The worst recorded Earthquake was in China, 1556, and it was estimated 830,000 died.

http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqsmosde.html

The quake has been regraded from 8.9 to 9.0 Richter and is in the top 5 of the most powerful quakes in modern history.

Thanks to my being in Australia, my lack of a life, my see - ing the SBS feed of BBC World News when it first cut in, and todays several hour feed of CNN cutting in on 7 / PRIME ... I can up-date that a little bit. Also BBC / ABC / CNN news sites are great for knowing about this thing ...

Right, first off here we were told the casualties were only 167 people. For a few hours after that nothing. We'd all assumed that was it. Minor quake. No one making any other noise about it. Australia went on hapy in its Boxing Day bliss.

Then at around 10 PM communications with the effected nations in the Asia region finally came in, harder, and faster, as some links via CNN and BBC came back online, and those with surviving cams and connections emailed in photos and transcripts to the news sites ...

Dammage to infrastructure was so bad, no one out-side the effected areas even knew.

U.S. geo-phys survey office has confirmed the rate was a full 9.0, not 8.9 not much of a difference, still a hellish - scary number.

One of the worst quakes since 1900's ... and one of the biggest and widest ranging natural disasters in the recent history of Asian region, if not the world. Below if you have images enabled is a BBC supplied map of the devestated areas.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40667000/gif/_40667717_indon_quake3_map416.gif
Please be aware that the map is not high details. It is suspected some of the tiny, non-visible island chains and their populations of thousands have been completely destroyed.

At last notice here, direct death toll from the quake and tsunami is now 23 000 ... and the number of people effected by injury, loss of homes / food / power / clean water is thought to be well over 1.5 million. It may rise to 2 million by late this morning ( posting at 12:30 AM here in N.S.W )

Already, nations are scrambling to send aide. Australia has committed an immediate 10 million AUD, along with two c-130 planes bringing in medical supplies. India is thought to be sending around war-ships stocked with further supplies. Right now their are grave fears that within days, disease caused by the water damage of the tsunami's will lead to massive casualty rates from bad-water infections, malaria, and other illness.

From amoung this event have risen tales of horro and tragedy, from children being torn from parents arms, to the able bodied riskingtheir own lives in damaged buildings to drag out survivours. It is truly a time of the greatest despair and out-standing heroism.

* Note also, the tsunami reeched as far as the African coast, killing a smaller number of people there then in other more immediate regions.

* For more information on events, try news web-sites, for example, here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/4126019.stm) and,

If you think you have friends or relatives involved in the destruction, contact your local government department for foreign affairs, or act as instructed by your local news media.

Please be aware, as there is so much dis-order in the effected zones, any phone lines you can call to report friends or family you fear for, you think may have been in the areas at the time, may be bogged down with many calls, so remain patient and keep trying.

To others, if you can, please think of donating to several charities, I think the Red Cross is already taking donations.

Disclaimer ; Information as accurate at time as known to this poster. Please consult the web news media sites of your choice to learn more, thank-you.

Those of us who live in Australia are lucky Indonesia was in the way or we would have worn those tidal waves. But then earthquakes in Indonesia affect us, especially those in the North (like me :confused: ).

Please give a thought to those whose Boxing Day was spent looking at ruins of their lives and the many tourists whose holidays will be memorable for the wrong reasons.

Well, if the past threads are any indication, it's only a matter of hours here before Kramers Intern gets on and says the quake is Bush's fault.

Well, if the past threads are any indication, it's only a matter of hours here before Kramers Intern gets on and says the quake is Bush's fault.

Well the Australian Plate slammed into the Eurasian plate, which was the cause of this one.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqinthenews/2004/usslav/

and tidal waves in Australia now!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1272794.htm

However lots of crazy weather here though.

who cares? GOOGLEWHACK WAS ON THE TODAY SHOW!

Googlewhack=

2 dictionary words, seperated by a space. find the 1 hitter!

Sri Lanka alone is now estimating at least 12,000 dead. Widespread destruction of communications and transportation infrastructure making accurate estimates difficult if not impossible.

IRC is saying 23,700 are now confirmed dead!

Well, if the past threads are any indication, it's only a matter of hours here before Kramers Intern gets on and says the quake is Bush's fault.

As well as some others coming on and saying 'why care about something in third world countries, only the US matters' or 'they weren't christians, so who cares ?'.

Let's hope I'm wrong...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/2004_Indonesia_Tsunami.gif

This is just awful. :( :( :( :( Is anyone here planning to be a part of aid and restoration in these countries?

God IS Pissed!!!


http://www.mmmyeah.com/_images/contests/familyguy1/family-guy_rules_brian3.jpg

It seems like these things always happen to the poor countries least able to deal with it.

It seems like these things always happen to the poor countries least able to deal with it.

As much as I want to contradict you, your right. It does seem to happen that way doesn't it?

Lenin said it best when he said `One death is a tragedy one million is a statistic`.

Its too much for the mind too comprehend.

This is a very bad incident, I pray and hope that the countries recouperate from this disaster.

As much as I want to contradict you, your right. It does seem to happen that way doesn't it?

It's the fact they are poor is why the death counts are high.

There is no tsunami warning system as they are unheard of in india. They are going to work on one now. Australia and Japan have stepped up to help out! Good lads! :)

India uses rather poor construction in the villages. Very simple hovels. Cinder Block, etc. Villages get clobbered as there is no warning.

A fellow at work reported his village was hit bad. Over 400 dead so far.

God took matter into his own hands, after he saw Bush was taking to long to start the invasion of Asia...

I hope that's a joke...if it is, it's not exactly good taste.

I hope that's a joke...if it is, it's not exactly good taste.

Yeah, it's a joke!

And it's Funny! SO LAUGH!

International Red Cross

http://www.ifrc.org/index.asp

Its kind of scary to think how vulnerable we all really are, these people had life stories all their own and now thats gone forever. They are not just statistics to me.

who cares? GOOGLEWHACK WAS ON THE TODAY SHOW!

Googlewhack=

2 dictionary words, seperated by a space. find the 1 hitter!

i cant believe u just said that... people died n all u care bout is sum POINTLESS made up word... does life mean anything 2 u?!!! 2 u ppl with hearts out there i dont care if u believe in God or not but please pray 4 those who have been injured or have friends/family that died.

i cant believe u just said that... people died n all u care bout is sum POINTLESS made up word... does life mean anything 2 u?!!! 2 u ppl with hearts out there i dont care if u believe in God or not but please pray 4 those who have been injured or have friends/family that died.

Better yet, forget the praying...go do something

Better yet, forget the praying...go do something

well that 2 but somehow 4 most ppl its easier 2 pray...

well that 2 but somehow 4 most ppl its easier 2 pray...


blah blah blah...


you know that everyones gonna forget this in about 6 months, and we will still be moaning about 9/11 like we are to thisday.

i cant believe u just said that... people died n all u care bout is sum POINTLESS made up word... does life mean anything 2 u?!!! 2 u ppl with hearts out there i dont care if u believe in God or not but please pray 4 those who have been injured or have friends/family that died.

Actually, instead of prayers, I've offered up money.

Actually, instead of prayers, I've offered up money.



to the red cross?

i hope so, cause most other organizations are cons.

Screw the Red Cross.

Everyone in America should spend their extra money on voluntary taxes and buy lotto tickets....

Screw the Red Cross.

Everyone in America should spend their extra money on voluntary taxes and buy lotto tickets....
you realise that the lotto company just makes more money..

to the red cross?

i hope so, cause most other organizations are cons.

Yep

you realise that the lotto company just makes more money..

You realize lotto is run by the goverment right??


( At least in my state it is )

well that 2 but somehow 4 most ppl its easier 2 pray...

"4 most people its easier 2 pray..."

Yeah, so since when does easiest=best?
Oh well, I guess it's better than being a grief tourist and going over to cry and whine about the dead people when you don't really give a shit...

I hate it when people do that.
:mad:

You realize lotto is run by the goverment right??


( At least in my state it is )



no... its called the state lottery by... wait for it... here it comes...


a private company in that state...

Obviously Bush's fault like everthing else is.

Well I hope a Tsunami warning system gets set up for the Indian ocean after this. If they don't do it now, it'll never happen.

Even Tanzania got hit :(
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/12/28/latest/2040810Tanzani&sec=latest

I think that the tsunamis have made it all throughout the southern hemisphere by now, but should have weakened a bit by the time it reached the coast of Argentina.

The Richter scale is actually logarithmic, based on the energy released in an earthquake. A 9.0 is 30 times more powerful than an 8.0 and 900 times more powerful than a 7.0. So there is a big difference between an 8.9 and a 9.0.

While so much attention has been put on the 9.0 earthquake, which is fair enough considering the loss of life involved, there has been a magnitude 8.3 earthquake on the 23rd that should have made some big tsunamis too. It has gone virtually unnoticed because it was at the mid-ocean ridge separating the Indo-Australian and Antarctic plates, and so has not caused a lot of damage to densely inhabited areas.

Funny that the one nation in eastern Asia that could have handled such an earthquake without a huge loss of life - Japan - has not faced any of the effects of the earthquake, and is unlikely to get much by way of tsunamis.

Just heard that the count is at 37,000 dead so far, but is likely to get up to around 60,000.

Lenin said it best when he said `One death is a tragedy one million is a statistic`.
Its too much for the mind too comprehend.
I think that was Stalin, not Lenin.
Sorry to nitpick.

However lots of crazy weather here though.
Here as well (Hong Kong). Sunday was a beautiful day, but yesterday and today have been absolute crap (cold for the first time and really overcast).
Does anyone know whether an Earthquake that size would affect the weather?
I suspect it would, as it churned up the ocean so much, and the ocean has such a big influence on the weather. Or is just co-incidence?
Some expert has said that it even affected the Earth's rotation.

The local paper had a story about an American who was only a block or so away when the WTC towers collapsed in 2001, and then moved to HK last year just before SARS hit and now was in Thailand and just missed getting wiped out. His hotel room got flooded and he was washed away.
My first thought was: "Poor guy! 3 major disasters in 3 years!" but then I started to wonder: "This is too much of a co-incidence. Maybe this guy is eminating really bad luck".
I think we should sacrifice him to appease the Gods, who are obviously pissed at him over something he's done.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/12/28/latest/20404Regionalt&sec=latest

Now up to 40,000 gone ... :(

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/12/28/latest/20404Regionalt&sec=latest

Now up to 40,000 gone ... :(
I can see it getting close to the hundred thou mark. My local paper said there are 30 000 ppl missing in the Andaman and Nicobar islands alone.
For those of you who don't know of them (and no I didn't either) these are an archipelago of nearly 600 islands that is controlled by India and lies 1200km from mainland India, stretching for 800km. Some of the Islands were just 250km from the epicentre. India has minimised development of these islands to spare the indiginous ppl there who have lived there for 60 000 years. They don't even know how many ppl live on some of the islands. One group was last contacted in 1992!

I can see it getting close to the hundred thou mark. My local paper said there are 30 000 ppl missing in the Andaman and Nicobar islands alone.
For those of you who don't know of them (and no I didn't either) these are an archipelago of nearly 600 islands that is controlled by India and lies 1200km from mainland India, stretching for 800km. Some of the Islands were just 250km from the epicentre. India has minimised development of these islands to spare the indiginous ppl there who have lived there for 60 000 years. They don't even know how many ppl live on some of the islands. One group was last contacted in 1992!

Those islands like the Maldives and and Nicobar islands will fare the worst as they are barely above sea level. Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia's counts are sure to rise much higher as well.

Now with global warming and rising sea levels, it wouldn't take much to to wipe out these poor little countries scattered on small islands everytime tidal waves turn up.

Makes you think again about living on the coastline.

:( :confused: :( :confused: :( :confused: :( :confused: :( :confused:

Don't let anyone talk you out of praying for the people there. It does make a difference. That shouldn't be an excuse for not doing something tangible as well though. As for donations, in addition to the Red Cross, ADRA is a good organization when it comes to disaster relief.

Also, it was said that people will forget about this relative to 9/11. In sincerely hope not, but you are probably right. It always seems more of a travasty when human kind is a direct cause for a disaster, like the World Wars, Slavery, and the like. It somehow seems to stay with us more because it is something that human kind could have prevented, where as natural disasters are generally out of our control. That doesn't mean we should forget or that the loss of life is any less important or terrible.

40 000 dead... damn...

44,000 now!

Keep this region in our prayers. Prayer does help more than people think and I will gaurentee that people will not forget this because of the massive death toll.

44,000 now!.


lol, this is kinda sounding like the 2000 presidential election: 44,000 difference now inflorida! still too close to call!"

lol, this is kinda sounding like the 2000 presidential election: 44,000 difference now inflorida! still too close to call!"

Show some heart dude. This quake is an international tragedy. This is no time for jokes.

Show some heart dude. This quake is an international tragedy. This is no time for jokes.


meh :rolleyes:

Czecho-Slavakia - you do realize that if the New Madrid Seismic Zone let loose with a 9.0 quake that you would most certainly not be saying "Meh".

Just because it happened to some of the poorest nations on earth, nations most distant from the US, doesn't mean you should just shrug and go on about life. Those lives that have been lost aren't your friends and family but they are some ones friends and family, and the 'degrees of seperation' aren't that great....

No man is an island, no man stands alone, a part from the main, the whole. We are all bound by the ties of living on this small blue and green planet floating on the the velvet curtain of endless space.

Actually its affected every nation in the indian ocean, nations in Africa have been hit by tidal waves triggered by the quake as have nations in north and south and America.

Just wach the news and te reported deaths was 56,000 but Wilkipedia has reported the deaths as 68,000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake

Just wach the news and te reported deaths was 56,000 but Wilkipedia has reported the deaths as 68,000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake

I'm seeing 67,000 but that doesn't mean it isn't 68,000!

Over 70,000 and rising!
Probably end up over 100,000 in the end (and hopefully less than 200,000).

I couldn't agree with you more Jeruselem

I couldn't agree with you more Jeruselem

Check wikipedia ... another update (estimate now 97K to 127K)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake

Strange thing, most distasters the estimates go up and up ... except 9/11. 10000 dead? Just over 2000 in the end.

I'll check major news outlets before Wekipedia but I wouldn't be surprised in anycase!

As for 9/11, they went with the worst case since the building wasn't full occupied. I was glad that the number went down and not up.

Death tool surpassed 76,700: Yahoo Breaking News--

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) The death toll from 12 nations affected by this week's earthquake and tsunamis has surpassed 76,700 after Indonesia's Health Ministry announced new figures.

Australia was very lucky not to have any big problems on the west and northern coasts; and by the time the tsunamis reached our east coast, where most of the people are, they'd already gone around the world.
So now, we're sending in planeloads of supplies to help the survivors.

I read somewhere that a whole city go washed away. the didnt find any survivors. So I tried to watch the news to find out more about and the only thing they seem to care aboot is some supermodel who broke her foot. fuck you media. and I was going to Indonesia for a trip, so now I'll see if I can help out. :)

Images of my old home town Penang, Malaysia (taken by someone else post-distaster). I live in Australia now.

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/105736/index.html

I read somewhere that a whole city go washed away. the didnt find any survivors. So I tried to watch the news to find out more about and the only thing they seem to care aboot is some supermodel who broke her foot. fuck you media. and I was going to Indonesia for a trip, so now I'll see if I can help out. :)

Probably some Indonesian city in Acheh close to the quake.
And confirmed deaths about 120,000 ... this is getting bad (Indonesia 80K!)

now dont you think the day after tommorow will come
:gundge:

Here's a really great charity we promote on our own Website. I've checked them out very thoroughly and they're on the up and up, and they don't use donations to pay "administrative costs."

http://www.americaresfoundation.net/default.aspx

EDIT: Note that the lead article on their site is about an airlift they've already sent to Sri Lanka.

now dont you think the day after tommorow will come
:gundge:

Nope considering that movie is pure fiction!