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South Asian Earthquake Kills Thousands, Destroys Homes of Many More
An earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale has ripped through Asia, causing tidal waves and killing thousands. Damage has been recorded all over South Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia (the epicenter was on Aceh), Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India. The Maldives, where no point is above 3 feet of sea level, were very nearly flooded entirely and there is a great deal of concern for tourists on Christmas holiday in the outlying atolls. The Acorn, a blog from India, has information on how you can help. And Kerri, if you're reading, check in please! Great thanks to creve coeur and all the Kossacks at DailyKos for keeping up with this story.
Comments
This is unimaginable
I can't believe that 11,500 people are dead from this, so many of them children.
"Singapore spared"
It looks as though Singapore was sheltered by Sumatra and got away with just tremors, no casualties.
It is amazing the kind of devastation earthquakes can cause.
Sorry for the delay
we're fine, didn't feel a thing. It was 9am on a Sunday morning immediately after Christmas - tremors aren't noticeable in a bed!
but yes, the rest of the region is a total mess, and our stupid government is "considering" what they can do to help. Even the radio DJs were disgusted at his comments this morning.
Two of our recent holiday spots are underwater... including Penang, where we were in September. Sobering isn't it.
Along with the fact that it was a year to the day since the Bam earthquake in Iran.
If you look at the geography of where the earthquake was centred you'll see how come we were spared, but it still feels pretty miraculous considering how close we are, and how widespread the damage is. I heard that seismic instruments in Glasgow (Scotland) even picked up the tremors, and they were felt as far away as Bangladesh. There again, there have been several very nasty quakes near here since I've lived here, and I've never felt a thing. Picked up one when we were in Beijing, and even, rarity of rarities, one when I was still in the UK. But never here on the Ring of Fire! Amazing. Thank goodness we chose a second floor flat!
Kerri.
21,000 souls and rising
I just cannot comprehend so many human souls swept away so quickly.
all the way
to the east coast of Africa too... unbelievable. The actual earthquake did very little damage in this, just the fact tht it was deep in the ocean and set off these terrible tidal waves. Which none of the region was prepared for. Apparently Sri Lanka ignored warnings that something like this could happen, even after massive flooding last year.
I can't help but wonder whether our seasonal weather has worsened it too. Certainly it will hamper relief efforts in South East Asia.
If half of peninsular Malaysia and Singapore hadn't been sheltered by Sumatra this would have been even worse, and I sure as hell wouldn't be around to comment. I'm very sure we're close enough to the beach to have had problems, and on the second floor we'd have at least been inundated with water.
Kerri.
Canadian
New to this site, wondering if there are any Canadians? I live in Kamloops, B.C..
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