Article

2004-12-28 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Tsunami wipes out remote Indian islands, death toll hits 50,000

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Posted by Fred 2004-12-28 3:27:20 PM|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Call me callous, but I can't help wondering how much of this death toll is being inflated so that local and central government officials can increase the amount of foreign aid they can skim off.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2004-12-28 5:15:26 PM|| [http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2004-12-28 5:15:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 I doubt that very much. As the Marines keep pointing out, most of the world's population lives within a couple miles of the ocean.

I imagine the current death toll is much higher than the known death toll, and once you work in the probable disease and destroyed infrastructure, things are going to get worse.

Posted by Phil Fraering 2004-12-28 5:25:07 PM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2004-12-28 5:25:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 I think the toll will go over a million but we will never truly know.

Posted by Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-12-28 5:28:29 PM|| [http://www.slhess.com] 2004-12-28 5:28:29 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 That these nations' governments had no earthquake or tsunami warning system is criminal. If you live near alpine peaks, you owe it to yourself and your neighbors to understand and prepare for avalanches. If most of your impoverished population lives along the coast, then a minimal requirement of any decent, responsible government is a management system and appropriate warning systems related to flood tides and other ocean-related disasters.

Posted by lex 2004-12-28 5:39:24 PM|| 2004-12-28 5:39:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Breaking news: 5,000 Australians Unaccounted For In South Asia. :(

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11804214%255E28477,00.html

Posted by God Save The World 2004-12-28 11:06:03 PM|| 2004-12-28 11:06:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Geez. That sucks... In synch with that item I've been hearing on Fox that the majority of the actual tsunami victims are Westerners - the preponderance being Europeans and Aussies - which certainly fits with the problems I've had trying to get Christmas reservations in Phuket.

The second phase victims will be locals, however.

Posted by .com 2004-12-28 11:13:07 PM|| 2004-12-28 11:13:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 fishing locals and westerners on the beaches make logical first wave victims

Posted by Frank G 2004-12-28 11:15:55 PM|| 2004-12-28 11:15:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Doubt very much death toll being inflated.If anything,it is understated.This is an event of biblical proportions,in my mind.

Posted by crazyhorse 2004-12-28 11:19:36 PM|| 2004-12-28 11:19:36 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 And "Why Euros & Aussies?" someone may ask?

Because they organize into vacation clubs or join commercial vacation clubs and, when the venues are selected, they consume huge blocks of hotel space at a resort with one phone call or email.

Posted by .com 2004-12-28 11:21:40 PM|| 2004-12-28 11:21:40 PM|| Front Page Top

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