Some more pictures from Phuket.

http://www.pbase.com/issels/phuket_tsunami&page=1

 

w...w...WHAT?!! holy dear god... that's amazing. those pictures... wow. and the death toll... my god, what an awful awful tragedy. why do these horrible natural disasters always seem strike some of the poorest nations that are least equipped to deal with them??

I read a survivor account of someone who had been swimming out at sea when the tsunami came in. he said that the ocean was perfectly calm, and it was like it just started rising and flowing inland... no crashing wave or anything... just next thing he knew... the ocean rose 15 feet and he came in with the flow of the water.

totally insane.

did somebody say something about a video? if anyone has a link, I'd be very curious to see it.

 

Haven't seen this myself (proxy at work filters streaming media), but perhaps this is what you're asking for: http://politiken.dk/media/wvx/3537.WVX

Also, here are a couple more websites worth surfing:

Hospitals in resorts frequented by tourists have posted lists of their patients on the Internet. The list from Phuket International Hospital can be found here and that for the Bangkok Phuket Hospital here. (Click in the SOS field.)

The South Asian disaster is developing into one of the largest natural disasters ever and the international aid effort is immense. How did this happen? To find out more about tsunamis and how they work, this is a great place to start.

The United States Geological Survey has put together a preliminary earthquake report of Sunday's quake with maps, technical information and a whole list of fascinating earthquake links. Click here.

Much of the information provided by the USGS was taken by the New York Times as they put together the best multimedia site on the quake available. It's a registration site, but it's free and worth it. Click on the multimedia box on the right-hand side of the article. If you need to log in, use cyberpunk/cyberpunk.

An excellent article in the Independent follows the tsunami across the Indian Ocean and provides a chronological account of the destruction visited on the countries in its path. Click here.

Eyewitness accounts sent in from people directly affected by the earthquake and the ensuing tsunamis have been solicited by the BBC. So far, about 40 local residents and distraught tourists have e-mailed the news giant. Click here.

Finally, the quake has left thousands homeless, without access to clean drinking water and at risk of disease. The International Red Cross has issued a plea for donations and volunteers to help. Britain's Oxfam is also taking collections. Click here and here.

 

The numbers are climbing -- now at 50,000 -- my home city only has 60,000 people -- my heart aches for all those people

 

The London Evening Standard is putting the loss of life at 100,000.

Several years ago NC was hit by successive storms/hurricanes and many eastern counties flooded. The mess was incredible. There was building and other debris, dead livestock, and all manner of runoff from sewage and hog lagoons. The polluted water was a real health risk. Considering what happened in NC was (comparatively) on a small scale, I can't even begin to imagine the mess this has left. The health risk for the survivors has to be significant.

 

Sunday night we were at my church serving dinner to homeless people when the news came on about the tsunami.

The folks we were serving dinner to had lost everything in their lives, family, friendship, love, homes, jobs and self respect. But in the face of the news reports they were truly affected by and concerned about the people in the middle of the devastation. Even those who seem to have nothing were thankful for what little they had.

 

There's a lesson in there somewhere. It's all about perspective.

 

I have heard numbers from 60,000 to 100,000 today. More frightening is the prediction that the number of people who will die as a result of the disease, lack of fresh water and food has to potential to double the number.

I don't want to turn this political but I've just read that President Bush has said that the $35 million is only the beginning, yet even that amount seems very small to me. I think we could and should do better. I wish we would spend as much money helping people as we do fighting them.

 

Rob, that $35 million is only the tip of the iceberg -- even here in my hometown, relief baskets and money is being sent by various organizations locally. Several shipments have already left from here in this tiny little burg and I expect this happening all over the United States. Since the affected area produces much of the most valued coffees in the world, several coffee companies have organized relief funds and are donating a portion of all their coffee sales to these countries. Billions of dollars will pour out from Americans. That's one of the great things about being an American -- we give.

 

Val

I agree. We Americans are probably the most generous people that have ever been. I was referring to the aid sent by our government. I am disappointed that United States, not the individuals, has just gotten to $35 million.

Hunger, poverty, disease and disasters is what we should be fighting.