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