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.
Either you're a little late to the convesation and don't understand it all, or you're not speaking (writing) clearly, or I'm stupid.
But for the life of me, I have no idea what you're trying to say...
And I assume how to "spend" the money!
Hope the corrupt Indonesian regime wont misuse this disaster.
Oh my. If there was any agriculture in any of those low-lying areas, there won't be for quite a long time, with all that salt/brackish water dumped into the soil.
}:-)4
It appears to me that God has moved his mighty hand to send a message to these people. The question is do they hear his voice?
BTTT
Out of morbid curiosity, I checked out what the Stormfronters had to say about the tsunami. There were scores of posters expressing their joy about "all the muds that had been exterminated". One particular guy replied to these posts that the demise of "100 000 or so gooks" was not worth it because many Europeans had also been killed.
If I'm right supposing first answer is 'yes' then damage is incredible - entire city wiped out, almost all beaches gone, some inland lakes where there were none before...
It is the region spoken of in the article. Before and after. Just above here someone left me a link to more satellite photos. It's breathtakingly horrible.
Reeding is phundermentel, d00d.
I never said I was better than the tsunami victims. I never said the tsunami victims were Islamonazis--the poster to whom I was replying said that. And if you truly, honestly think that the Judeo-Christian moral system is not inherently superior to a moral system that encourages viewing women at chattel, encourages young men to strap on bomb belts and go blow up old men and children, and has kept most of the entire Arab world mired in the twelfth damned century...then you, sir or ma'am, are hopelessly deranged.
Pull your head out of your ass--assuming they aren't the same thing--and use a brain cell for once.
}:-)4
Bye, Charybdis!He's dead, Jim!
He's dead, Jim.
(Click here or on the pic).
Bout time!
That was quick!Wow, it really was. They nuked him lightning fast!
I'm almost afraid now for you to send posts to me. Most of the people you post to always end up dead!
I'm scared......
What an ingrate. Little Precious never says goodbye....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
