Posted on 12/30/2004 10:01:15 AM PST by Keith Burwell
Indonesia Needs Help, Death Toll Expected To Exceed 400,000 Thu Dec 30 2004 12:52:01 ET
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The death toll in Acheh, the region worst hit by last Sunday's tsunami, may exceed 400,000 as many affected areas could still not be reached for search and rescue operations, Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia Drs H. Rusdihardjo said Thursday.
He said the estimate was based on air surveillance by Indonesian authorities who found no signs of life in places like Meulaboh, Pulau Simeulue and Tapak Tuan while several islands off the west coast of Sumatera had "disappeared".
He said the latest death toll of more than 40,000 in Acheh and northern Sumatera did not take into account the figures from the other areas, especially in the west of the region.
"Aerial surveillance found the town of Meulaboh completely destroyed with only one buiding standing. The building, which belonged to the military, happens to be on a hill," he told reporters after receiving RM1 million in aid for Indonesia's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund here Thursday.
Rusdihardjo said there were about 150,000 residents in Meulaboh, which was located 150km from the epicentre of the earthquake while Pulau Simeuleu had a population of 76,000.
The contributions were from several corporate giants.
Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), represented by Chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, gave RM200,000; Guthrie, represented by Chief Executive Officer Datuk Abdul Wahab Maskan, gave RM200,000; Golden Hope Plantations Berhad, represented by Group Director for Corporate, Legal and Public Affairs Norlin Abdul Samad, gave RM200,000; Maybank, represented by Head of Public Affairs Wan Norhiyati Ibrahim, gave RM200,000 and Sime Darby Group's Motor Division, represented by Director Yip Jon Khiam, also gave RM200,000.
Ahmad Sarji also handed over a PNB contribution to Utusan's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund, which was received by Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Executive Chairman Tan Sri Hashim Makarudin to help Malaysian tsunami victims.
Ambassador Rusdihardjo said a combination of earthquake and tsunami had left 80 to 100 per cent of infrastructure in Acheh province, such as hospitals, health centres, transport and communication networks and homes, destroyed.
"Looking at the scale of destruction, it's difficult to say when the search and rescue operations can be mounted in all affected areas," he said.
He said rescue efforts were hampered by transportation difficulties and lack of fuel.
Rusdihardjo said that at this time international help, especially in the form of medicines, clean water, food and clothing, were desperately needed by Indonesia to aid survivors in Acheh.
"Now we are worried about the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, the work of disposing corpses and the absence of clean water following the contamination of water sources," he said.
People Indonesia Top of Page
Population:
238,452,952 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 35,635,790; female 34,416,854)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 78,097,767; female 78,147,909)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 5,308,986; female 6,845,646) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.1 years
male: 25.7 years
female: 26.6 years (2004 est.)
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/id.html
I don't doubt that, but the fact that so many people live near the shores along where this thing hit has the making for a huge death toll.
Are you sure? Indonesia were jumping for joy over 9-11??????
That map appears to be out of scale with the Andamans and Nicobars enlarged and moved closer to India than they already are.
I normally am an extreme skeptic, especially where numbers (and nice big round ones) are involved...
However, 400,000 seems like a distinct possibility to me. I've looked at the population figures, and the maps of where that population is located, for Western Sumatra, and have seen the flyover shots just now popping up.
In Western Sumatra, it's basically flat, and the waves were likely high enough that even if you started running inland when the quake was felt or saw the water recede you still may have had no chance.
Not sure why all the talk about religion. I totally agree that we shouldn't even care ....
Further, although we all know Indonesia is Muslim, the Andaman or Nicobar islands are 67% Hindu, 23% Christian.
http://www.anislands.com/info.htm
Yes, and according to this link there around 4 million people there.
http://www.acehtourism.com/Population.asp
87% of Aceh are Muslim
And according to this site
http://www.persecution.org/Countries/indonesia.html
Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country in terms of the number of adherents
I'm citing those links to ask..Where are the Muslim country donations. All I have heard that Saudi Arabia is sending is $10 million dollars.
OMG! I just realized that even as I wouldn't stoop to pick up a penny off of the street but will argue or fight with anyone who tries to cheat me out of a penny; and that while I wouldn't kiss that black rock in Mecca, if I were in the disaster area I'd be right in the middle trying to help as many of those poor people that I could. D@mn the germs in those circumstances.
Seems like a flight from Bangkok could get there a lot faster than a flight from Bombay! ;-)
your right and ACEH is the most radical area of indonesia--i know it's crass-i gave $$ for aid but part of me says (last year Iran,now this,hmm)
i can't help to remember the dancing in the street on 9/11 the bali bombings etc and their hate for israel,wasnt part of the 9/11 plot worked on in indonesia and malaysia?? ok ok i shoulnt be doing this..it is terrible and i feel For the Inocent victims and families ,but part of me can't for those who hate US and Israel sorry
All I've heard so far is that Saudi Arabia is sending $10 million, and the United Arab Emirates is sending $2 million and some rescue or relief personnel. Other than that, I'm not sure.
It's not a competition or a race--who sends the most aid, be it government or private sector or military, isn't important as long as the aid gets there to the people who need it, and quickly. We conservatives know that, it's the socialists and liberals that seem to insist on pointing figures and saying "nyah nyah, we're caring and you're stiiiiingy." Meanwhile, their precious UN can't administer a two-car funeral without skimming 60% of the proceeds off the top for overhead and sex workers.
}:-)4
You think CBS is going to interrupt everything during CSI for "Breaking News - Dubai is donating 5 million dollars for tsunami relief!"?
The US media isn't going to fall all over itself to keep a running tally of what the UAE and Kuwait and whatever are donating.
One of the reports on CNN last night from Banda Aceh showed a hospital where the only doctor was a Malaysian who just showed up. People are so desperate to create the story that Muslim countries aren't helping in the disaster, though, that reality or any information to the contrary doesn't seem to matter.
When the entire population of an island is wiped out, why would you send money, except maybe to buy the island?
Check over top of the legend at the bottom left...it says "map not to scale."
}:-)4
Do you have any reason to suspect that Saudi Arabia, et al, would NOT provide any money for relief?
I'm a life-long Christian, and I know that I would not like it if, following some disaster in some Christian country (like say, a volcanic mudslide in Bolivia), some Muslim were to ask, "Since Bolivia is a Christian country, do you suppose the people in the USA, et al. will just keep spending on themselves, or do you suppose the people of the USA et al. will be bothered to send some aid?
I may be wrong here, betty boop, but it seems to me that your comment was a (perhaps -- I hope -- unintentional) insult directed at the Muslim people of Saudi Arabia "et al."
You do not have the right to feel morally superior to anyone. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Your thoughts are hateful and depraved.
Please post your replies to Watsonfellow
I live in Singapore and we felt the tremor..I am originally from Los Angeles, as is my mom who was visiting.
I got on the computer and well...
We have friends, good friends with children, vacationing in Phuket....we have not heard from them.
We are devasted in Singapore and we know that we will never be the same.
Pray for us.
Pray for us.
Pray for the dying, the living, and the dead.
watsonfellow, My prayers go up for you, your friends, and your family. God's protection for all. Lord, please provide a hedge of protection for those in harms way. Provide the family of the lost with comfort and peace. Surround them with your love. In Jesus' precious name. Amen
sweetiepiezer, thank you for the ping.
Blessings,
trussell
If you want on/off my prayer ping list, please let me know. All requests happily honored.
There probably aren't many places on earth where such a tremendous loss of life could be caused by a single natural event (short of an asteriod impact). The quake epicenter is surrounded by islands and coastal areas where huge populations live along the sea shores. I'm astomished by the magnitude of destruction and death. These poor souls.
We are
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