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.
Am I seeing what I think I see? An area literally wiped out.....grass and all....replaced by dirt from the sea????
Is that what I am seeing????
If so, oh my word....oh my word.
Therefore, 400,000 probably truly equals 40,000."
Wouldn't surprise me.
We are praying, FRiend.
Interesting. Thanks, Antivenom!
Amen.
Egads! The horror!
Now see if you can formulate a sensible response. I doubt you can.
"These" people were not all danging in the streets. Blow off, troll
What story did you get this from on Yahoo?
I would like to e-mail that one to the campus....
The locals travel by wooden boats called Dohis and sleep on them at weeks at a time...
NO way on 67 as being the total NO WAY.
I traveled the Maldive islands on a live-aboard (scuba diving) for 3 weeks...some islands are about 20 feet in diameter with one coconut tree (yep like right out of a corny movie) and then there are other islands about 1/4 mile long and 1/8 mile wide that are complete villages...no electricity no running water primitive villages that engage in the fishing industry. I can tell you 67 is NOT the correct figure. I suspect that the Maldives are going to "ignore" their dead and NOT address any deaths that didn't occur on Male.
This rage against people who to 99,99 percent have no involvement in terrorism is misplaced beyond belief. Take a long hard look in the mirror - and a deep breath.
How do people jump to their deaths to save their lives?
Regarding you comment about Bush reading the book upside down. Urban Legend.
By the way, the reason Bush did not move that day is that he HAD to wait for the Secret Service to clear and clean the area around him. He knew better. He knew he and the people around him were safe unless he was told otherwide.
The Christian faith have always been strong in America. It's one of the reasons we are the decent people we are. And it's that decency that has led us to help so many others when we have not had to. If you think about it if the ACLU and the Democrats could take all the faith out of those in that work for us in government then there would be little reason for people in governemnt to care about anyone else. A godless America would just shrug it's shoulders and go on without lifting a finger. Especially when it's people like these that don't live here and don't vote.
It's because of faith and Christian principals that we care about others and help them when they need help. And there is nothing you can do to change that.
In certain situations - especially where tolls start high and get lower, it often works out. (In the case of the WTC what lowered the toll was time - people below the impact areas had time to get to get out of the building.)
Here though, we currently have 2500 missing Swedes alone - and I doubt the Swedish government is inflating that number "for the aid money"...
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