Tsunami Death Toll Rockets to 114,000 (and the numbers continue to grow!)

AP ^ | December 30, 2004

[IAF ThunderPilot]

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) -- The death toll from last weekend's earthquake-tsunami catastrophe rose to more than 114,000 on Thursday as Indonesia uncovered more and more dead from ravaged Sumatra island, where pilots dropped food to remote villages still unreached by rescue workers. A false alarm that new killer waves were about to hit sparked panic in India, Sri Lanka and Thailand...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TSUNAMI?SITE=WYCHE&SECTION=HOME

[P-Marlowe]

We on the other hand have a very good tsunami warning system in place.

People in Thailand knew there was a tsunami coming and what did they do? They went down to the beach to take pictures.

[killjoy]

And I say where was the rest of the world when they could prevent the loss of life rather merely responding after there is a loss of life.

Just like we could have prevented 9/11?

/sarcasm

[conservativeinferno]

The rapture is near. In 1967, Israel retook the Temple. The Bible states that that generation will live to see the Son of Man. Earthquakes, wars, famines, a one-world government, etc... are all events that will be taking place before the Rapture occurs.

[monocle]

There are some things in life one cannot prevent such earthquakes, hurricanes and some acts of terror which are designed to prevent detection, but other causes of loss of life can minimized or prevented and it is the latter to which I refer.

[Toidylop]

I know exactly what's going on. My ancestral family came from SE Asia...

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Socialism has probably killed more people in one century than nature has since recorded history.

Over 100 million between 1900 and 1999 (wars, murders, starvation, disease caused by Marxist governments).

[MindBender26]

Just wondering. Could some of these body count numbers be inflated to get more Western aid $?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

..it seems like one of the biggest or biggest natural disaster in my lifetime.

Already in the top 10 of all time (in terms of lives lost).

[hemi dawg]

seems like the VAST majority of tourists are NOT American--due to the fact that the locals tend to BLOW US UP.

So it is right that the Europeans should take the lead here in the relief ops.

[hemi dawg]

I am also suspicious of the death toll numbers.
Especially since you have multiple third world countries, many of them dictatorships, in direct competition for X aid dollars. However, if you look at today's number as a PROJECTION, it may be accurate. MANY more are likely to die from flood-related diseases.

[killjoy]

Just wondering. Could some of these body count numbers be inflated to get more Western aid $?

My best friend is helping out trying to ID bodies in Southern Thailand. She told me the general feeling is the numbers are being under-reported.

[Moorings]

Some of these large organizations have way to much overhead costs too. A nice chunk of every dollar you give goes toward administrative expenses.

[nhoward14]

After seeing the satellite photos of entire coastlines demolished for hundreds of feet inland, I doubt the aid requests have anything to do with the death toll. It has a lot more to do with the loss of infrastructure required to support the millions of survivors.

Honestly, the dead at this point really don't care if they get any money or not, do they?

[Blue Jays]

Hi Cheetah1-

The Red Cross/Red Crescent will NOT receive even a THIN DIME from this proud American citizen. The same goes for Doctors Without Borders, the other America-hating organization mentioned in your post.

Before donating money all willy-nilly to these monoliths, obtain the administrative costs and learn how and where your contribution will be spent. The groups you've highlighted loathe the United States and our way of life. I implore you to continue your research before providing your credit card number...

~ Blue Jays ~

[topher]

with all due respect, I don't think this is much more than mere coincidence.

Respect may be the right word, wrong context. Try respect for God and not for pornography, graphic sex, graphic violence, child pornography, child sex slavery [Thailand is known as a Tourist place for that].

I love God, but I also fear God, and fear what we are doing to anger God -- abortion -- as well as only going to church during Holidays or when terrorists crash planes in New York and Washington, DC.

[Heatseeker]

Some of these large organizations have way to much overhead costs too. A nice chunk of every dollar you give goes toward administrative expenses.

I seem to recall an organization and/or web site that rated NGOs on such issues - I wish I could remember what it was. Speaking only for myself, I'm leaning towards giving to a Christian, Buddhist or Hindu based charity or one run by expats of a specific country, rather than the big (and generally European-dominated) NGOs.

[ArmedNReady]

While I believe that when a natural disaster such as this takes place, people who are able to help financially should do so, I ask this question:

Why is the UN disparaging "wealthy" nations for not sending more money while the UN shelters regimes that have brutally killed far more than this disaster?

[two23]

Drudge has a new headline:
CLAIM: '400,000 DEAD' IN INDONESIA ALONE

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash5.htm

[OldFriend]

They're in Indonesia

[zipcode101]

I just read 1 million may have died.