Posted on 12/28/2004 9:44:36 AM PST by Happy2BMe
Tsunami toll predicted to pass 60,000
Tue Dec 28 2004 11:50:39 ET
The death toll from the Indian Ocean tsunami catastrophe was predicted to climb pass 60,000 last night as the worst-hit nations struggled to deal with their dead and survivors, including at least a million people left homeless.
More than two days after a massive seabed earthquake off Indonesia triggered a chain of destructive waves up to 10 metres high, rescuers were finding more death the further they ventured into outlying areas of the affected countries.
The United Nations said hundreds of relief planes packed with emergency supplies from many nations would arrive in the region within 48 hours.
While the official toll across 11 countries last night stood at more than 30,000, unofficial predictions suggested the final count was likely to rise well above 60,000.
In Indonesia, the official death count in the battered province of Aceh - the closest land mass to the quake - climbed above 7000 last night and could eventually top 25,000, officials warned.
In Sri Lanka, the toll soared above 18,000 and officials said it could eventually reach 25,000.
Indian officials said at least 7000 were now feared dead in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, revised up from 3000, and Thai authorities said the number of people swept to their deaths in the crowded southern tourist resorts might ultimately exceed 2000.
Eight Australians had been confirmed dead by last night, including seven in Thailand, with grave fears held for another 10. Among the missing Australians is Melbourne AFL player Troy Broadbridge, who was in the Thai tourist haven of Phi Phi on his honeymoon when he was swept away from his wife, Trisha, as they walked on the beach.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer warned that the Australian death toll was likely to climb. "Our concerns still run very deeply for many Australians and I think the community should be prepared for a relatively high death toll," he said.
Australia stepped up its contribution to the international aid effort yesterday, with a team of forensic experts who helped identify victims of the 2002 Bali bombings sent to fulfil a special request from Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for help in identifying victims.
Four specialist medical teams have also been assembled by the federal and state governments.
Thousands of kilometres of coastline from Indonesia to Somalia were battered by Sunday's deadly waves. Rows of bodies covered in plastic sheets, mats or blankets were laid out on the ground throughout the region.
The United Nations said the disaster was unique in encompassing such a large area and so many countries.
"The cost of the devastation will be in the billions of dollars," said Jan Egeland, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
"However, we cannot fathom the cost of these poor societies and the nameless fishermen and fishing villages . . . that have just been wiped out. Hundreds of thousands of livelihoods have gone."
- with Reuters, AAP
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U.N. official slams U.S. as 'stingy' over aid (US Should Raise Taxes)
Donations can be sent via WorldVision
http://donate.wvus.org/OA_HTML/xxwvibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section=10025&item=1168287&lid=tsunami_donate&lpos=main1text
WorldVision is one of the few charities I would trust. At least the money won't go to support Islamic terroism.
It is beyond words. I pray for us all.
I want to send donations but the only people I could think of were the Red Cross (which I've now already donated to). Looks as if I'll add WorldVision to the list, but my question is about any others that you'd recommend (charities helping the tsunami victims specifically). Who else is 'good'?
I'd never send a dime to the Red Cross. Crooks don't need my money.
Well, that's part of why I want alternatives.
THANKS MUCH.
Having been close to some leaders in World Vision, this is absolutely the major org I'd send donations through.
Franklin Graham's SAMARITAN'S PURSE is another high integrity, low overhead aid org.
I probably favor Samaritan's Purse a bit more these days. I think He still keeps the heart of The Gospel and Christ's Love center focus. World Vision has somewhat, imho, become a big, almost secular tinged but still Christian org.
Their home page is:
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/home.asp
Their giving online page is:
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/giving/secure/makedonation.asp?subsection=United+States
True! And their overhead is quite low, comparitively speaking.
Franklin Graham's SAMARITAN'S PURSE is top flight. You can be sure his integrity is as good as his Dad Billy's. Billy, if riding in an elevator alone, and the car stopped at an intermediate floor, and a woman got on, he'd get off so no one could even dare to accuse of anything from even appearances.
link:
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/home.asp
I think the Red Cross has been in bed with the puppet masters for a very long time.
As with all such horific event death counts, the number will continue to go up for a while and then start coming back down.
I bet the total death toll before this whole thing is over tops 100k.
What a tragedy. It almost seems like the world is going nuts.
If anyone wants to donate money toward the relief efforts in Asia, you can donate at www.samaritanspurse.com Christian organizations are pretty much funded only by other Christians while secular organizations, such as the American Red Cross, get their money from many other sources. From what I know, Samaritan's Purse is a highly reputable organization.
IF the "stingy" U.S. sends monetary aid via the U.N., those victims will be lucky to see one million of the 15 mil.
Thank you. Looks like an excellent organization and I will add them to the list.
(The other one was off of Antarica two weeks ago.)
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