Tsunami Death Toll Tops 80,000 - (Could reach 100,000)

cnn.com ^ | Wednesday, December 29, 2004 | cnn

[crushelits]

Officials just reaching hardest hit areas in Indonesia.

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (CNN) -- The latest death toll from the Asian tsunami has increased to more than 80,000 as relief workers and supplies begin to reach some of the most devastated areas.

The dramatic rise of the number of deaths came Wednesday as officials were finally able to reach remote regions -- like Indonesia's Aceh province, India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Maldives.

More than half of those deaths were reported in Indonesia, the nearest land mass to Sunday's undersea earthquake that triggered the deadly waves and flooding in about a dozen countries, from Thailand to East Africa.

Four days after the quake, Indonesian authorities said they had found mass destruction in Aceh. The capital of Banda Aceh, which was closest to epicenter of the quake, was described as largely destroyed.

Red Cross: Tsunami Toll Could Top 100,000
GENEVA (AP) - The international Red Cross said Wednesday that the death toll from this week's earthquake and tsunamis in the Indian Ocean could rise to more than 100,000. ``We're facing a disaster of unprecedented proportion in nature,'' said Simon Missiri, Asia Pacific chief at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. More »

[BobL]

Jon - I apologize if I lashed out at you or any others for any reason. I intended to only out at the Media's continued manipulation of us.

If you see some of my earlier posts on other subjects (Islam at the top of the list), you'll see why I do prefer to keep my identity to myself.

We're at the point now, in much of Western society, that accurate criticism of certain religions can get you killed or beheaded, so the only way to have a decent dialog (for people with my point of view) is to stay anonymous.

As to your points, starting with the second paragraph - I agree totally. We have the right to expect at least civil treatment from the countries that we give money to.

[BobL]

"WTF? Are you insane?"

I hear you. But Cambodia did happen early in your lifetime (late 1970s), and lots more were killed. But reporters weren't allowed to cover it, and thus it was "no big deal" to the mainstream media - even thought they had a huge hand in causing the massacre, by driving us out of neighboring Vietnam.

I would just like to see the MSM apologize for all of the carnage that they caused, or at least allowed to be caused.

It has angered me so much that I cannot even listen to them without feeling that I'm being manipulated.

[BobL]

"To you- it may be a non-story."

To me it's a minor story with great pics - that mostly can be prevented the next time for a relatively cheap investment of a civil defense and alerting system.

Someone else on this thread mentioned an asteroid hit to be a major threat. That one I do take seriously, as it can wipe out all human life on this planet - and it has happened in the past (depending on its size).

In fact it was in the news the past few days. But the media treats it like an Art Bell story - a bunch of kooks that are bored.

If the media were to put this in perspective, they would be demanding two things, rather than laughing at their audience or actively opposing them.

1) Some type of asteroid diversion system (don't ask how).

2) Some way to prevent nuclear missiles from hitting the US (i.e., Star Wars)

As horrible as this tragedy was for the people involved, it would be real nice if the media would spend even 2% of this time on the need for the above 2 items. They concern me a lot more than tidal waves in Indian Ocean.

[P.O.E.]

Plus the many that will never be found - washed out to sea.

[BobL]

For everyone:

The real story about this tragedy is on this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1310131/posts

Again - it comes back to Malaria. Many, many, more people than necessary will die because the media, in essence, outlawed DDT.

But we'll never know that, because the media can do no wrong.

[zoobee]

SOmebody in another thread pointed out that the average amount of people that die everyday is 150,000 world wide.

[StevieB]

I'm 34 years old and I cannot remember a time where so many have died at once in my lifetime.

You are too young to remember the November 1970 disaster in Bangladesh, when an Indian ocean typhoon slammed into the low-lying islands off the cost. No one will ever know the actual death toll from this disaster, but the best estimate is that between 300,000 and 500,000 people died in the storm surge.

Bangladesh was hit again in 1991. This typhoon killed over 130,000.

In this part of the world with major populations clustered around the coasts, abnormal conditions in the Indian Ocean will always be deadly.

[Jon Alvarez]

you did not lash out at me...just commenting over the abuse heaped at you for your opinion...

[Jon Alvarez]

NOT BUSH'S TO GIVE

"The UN's Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs has criticized the USA for only giving $15 million to the effort to help those effected by the quake and tsunami. I have to admit that when I heard on the radio yesterday that Colin Powell had announced that each of the affected countries would immediately receive $100,000, that it was the smallest amount of money I had ever heard mentioned in the same sentence with the words 'United States.' I mean that is less than a loaded Hummer. But then I remembered the old Davy Crockett story where-in Congressman Davy voted against giving aid to the victims of a Washington, DC fire because it wasn't his to give.

"I think this would be a great time for Bush to announce that he could not give anything from the country, as the country itself has no legitimate authority to dispense monies for those kinds of purposes. I bet if he then asked the American people to do what they could, the folks in Sri Lanka and Sumatra would see the real spirit of American generosity.

"I guess I have finally become dependent on the government myself. When I imagine the horror experienced by those who survived the events I want to help. Then I hear my government is going to do it for me and I think 'Great, I already gave....on April 15th.' Then I realize all over again that when the government does it one is never sure it will be done right."

- News & Views reader Dr. Michael E. Clifford of Las Vegas, NV (Editor's Note: If you haven't done so recently, go to www.citizenoutreach.com and click on the "Not Yours To Give" button to read the Davy Crockett story Dr. Clifford refers to above)

FOUNDING WISDOM

"Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government."

- James Madison

SURVEY SAYS!

Should President Bush provide financial disaster aid to tsunami victims directly from the U.S. treasury...or make a public appeal for Americans to donate voluntarily to private relief efforts?

* Give the money from the government treasury
* Ask for voluntary, personal donations
* Huh?

Cast your vote by clicking the "Survey Says!" tab at www.citizenoutreach.com

Should President Bush provide financial disaster aid to tsunami victims directly from the U.S. treasury...or make a public appeal for Americans to donate voluntarily to private relief efforts?
Give the money from the government treasury
7%
Ask for voluntary, personal donations
90%
Huh?
3%
Total Votes: 178

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I understand your point. You aren't saying this is not a major event or a major story, but that some media are using the images to sensationalize (beyond reporting) the story. although I don't know how much this catastrophe can be sensationalized beyond reality. I am too numb from the enormity of it to take it all in.

I think I have seen others hang onto the coattails of this time of sympathy outpouring and using it to scam well-meaning people.

I get your point, but the timing of it might have been off, not sure.

[dfrussell]

I do, however, feel that what aid we send should be proportionate to the aid we have received relative to the War on Terror.

This is what the United Nations is for and we are the prime funder of the UN and also the only country capable of the airlift required.

The actual dollar figure donated annually by the US directly and indirectly to charitable funds is more than most/all other countries combined.

Why would any sane person contribute any more money to UN controlled efforts?

[Jon Alvarez]

we pay 21% of UN budget...I never said give more $ to the UN. Screw that.

what, Russia and China have no planes? France, Germany?

I know we pay more than our fair share, that's what I was talking about. I said we should send material aid proportionate to the help we've received in Iraq.

[BobL]

"but that some media are using the images to sensationalize"

Thanks, that's basically it. As terrible as it is for those caught up, it really has no long-term significance to this country or to world as a whole. Whereas the fact that China will have a larger economy than ours in 8 years and be double our size 15 years after that has HUGE significance to anyone (like myself) who wants to see their children grow up in a free country. Or in Europe, that, short of a bloodbath, is almost assured to be nearly all Muslim by the year 2100 (and Muslim dominated much sooner than that).

There are some really, really, big stories out there are almost totally ignored by the media. Those stores will affect whether my kids and (hopefully) grand kids get to live a life in this country anywhere near my own.

Yet these, for the most part, go unreported - as non-events (and, in some cases, reporting on them can be construed as racism)

[Howlin]

which is fine by me.

Well, thank you so damn much for giving us your stamp of approval.

Quite frankly, YOU are the type of poster who gives the MSM ammunition to call Free Republic a whack site.

Go away.

[BobL]

Thanks Jon - and no, I don't consider this abuse (if you want to see me abused, look at how people react when I tell them that I HATE toll roads and don't want our Texas freeways being converted to toll roads).

These tragedies are tough on everyone - some of the accounts were very tough on me (such as a kid being pulled out to sea from his father's grip). But so is slavery in the Sudan and genocide in Cambodia - it just doesn't get reported first hand - so who cares? (cynicism intended)

[Howlin]

I intended to only out at the Media's continued manipulation of us.

As you have only been here less than a month, let me give you a few facts and some advice.

There is absolutely no reason for you to feel that you need to warn the people at FR about being "manipulated" by the press. This is the absolute LAST place on earth that will believe one word the media says without checking it out.

And if we did need to be warned, we certainly wouldn't be listening to a newbie making snotty remarks about a disaster of biblical proportions.

Oh, sure, there have been events with more deaths, but this one happened LAST SUNDAY; if you don't mind, we, as a forum, will handle our grief and our knowledge of this disaster as we have long before you got here.

This isn't a chat room, nor a blog. Watch your nasty remarks on threads that involve the death of thoussands of people.

[BobL]

No - sorry. I don't mind helping out people in need.

My problem is with the MSM and the way they manipulate us. The starving in Africa had nothing to do with a lack of food, it was all caused by politics and warfare - yet they show us they terrible pics and never tell has that.

This country needs to get past being manipulated and get serious, if we are to straighten it out. My parents watched Fahrenheit 911, told me they knew it was garbage, but then started quoting from it almost verbatim. They affect people even when they think they're immune.

Personally, I think we have every right not to trust the MSM - on anything, considering how they manipulate the facts. So, I'm not giving them a pass on this also.

[BobL]

I think that my attacks have been clear and they have not denigrated the people that were in the path of the tidal wave.

I'm sorry if I haven't been on this site very long, but, even in my short time, I've seen many cases where people are being manipulated, so I comment where I see fit.

[ruthles]

Bob, I find myself doing the same thing. I'm always assuming there is a spin to everything. The tragedy withstanding, the media will somehow use this to blame America and Bush I'm sure.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Well I don't think they should under-report it either especially in favor of reporting "other" news.

My problem is when it will become so Greta-Van-Susternized that we become numb to the reality of it.

It will have a major effect on the rest of the World, even if it is an area made up mostly of false religions. But it won't alter our society, if that's what you meant.