quake-hit Asia gets U.N. Epidemic warning...

Yahoo news, Singapore ^ | 12/27/2004 | Robert Evans

[television is just wrong]

GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations has warned of epidemics within days unless health systems in south and southeast Asia can cope after some 12,000 people were killed and tens of thousands left homeless by giant tsunami waves.

Aid agencies round the world rushed staff, equipment and money to southern Asia after the tsunamis, triggered by a massive underwater earthquake, pummelled coastal communities in at least six countries on Sunday.

"This may be the worst national disaster in recent history because it is affecting so many heavily populated coastal areas ... so many vulnerable communities," the U.N.'s Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland told CNN.

"The longer term effects may be as devastating as the tidal wave or the tsunami itself ... Many more people are now affected by polluted drinking water. We could have epidemics within a few days unless we get health systems up and running.

"Many people will have (had) their livelihoods, their whole future destroyed in a few seconds."

Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India suffered the highest death tolls but Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar were also hit by the surging walls of water. Government officials estimate in Sri Lanka alone, 750,000 people were forced from their homes.

[television is just wrong]

What is the U.N. going to do. the Useless U.N. Cannot act on anything. They just go out there and make these statements doing nothing, but saying and accusing a lot.

[ARCADIA]

The United Nations has warned of epidemics within days unless health systems in south and southeast Asia can cope after some 12,000 people were killed and tens of thousands left homeless by giant tsunami waves.

Gee thanks for stating the obvious. Like 100% of the planet hadn't figured that out already.

[television is just wrong]

The U.N. is a useless piece of garbage. We do not need them to figure this out.

[Russ]

As always, America (the most hated nation by third world countries)will lead the way in pouring food, medical supplies, clothing and other needs in those afflicted countries. What will we get in return? Lectures from the likes of Michael Moore and his ilk that we are rich, selfish
polluters who don't deserve to inhabit this planet.

[mtbopfuyn]

And what percent will be skimmed off the top before it gets to the families? Asia would do much better just asking US taxpayers directly.

[nuve9]

actually, America has some thrird world nations within it.

[Russ]

You have a point there...

[Grateful One]

It is for all liberals to posture, for others to act!

[stopem]

"Enzo Boschi, the head of Italy's National Geophysics Institute, likened the quake's power to detonating a million atomic bombs the size of those dropped on Japan during World War II, and said the shaking was so powerful it even disturbed the Earth's rotation. ``All the planet is vibrating'' from the quake, he told Italian state radio. Other scientists said it was early too say whether the rotation was affected by the quake.

Disturbed the earth's rotation? Goodness.

[television is just wrong]

yes, that is what multicultal means.