The Tsunami, Satellite Images, BEFORE AND AFTER. AMAZING!! (Warning: Graphic images downthread)

crushelits | Dec. 30, 2004 | crushelits

[crushelits]

A satellite image taken Dec. 29, 2004, shows an overview of Aceh province in the western Indonesian island of Sumatra. The area absorbed the double shock of the world's worst earthquake in 40 years coupled with the resulting catastrophic tsunami
BEFORE: This detailed view of the northern tip of the island was taken on Jan 10, 2003	AFTER: A photo taken of the same area on Jan. 29, 2004, shows the extreme destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami. On Thursday, Indonesian officials issued a new death toll of nearly 80,000 for that country alone.
BEFORE: This detailed view of northern Banda Aceh was taken on Jan. 10, 2003	AFTER: News services on Thursday reported that pilots in Sumatra had discovered about 28,000 more dead in Banda Aceh while dropping food to remote villages still unreachable by rescue workers.
BEFORE: This detailed view of the island was taken by the IKONOS satellite on Jan. 10, 2003	AFTER: Some officials said there was dismal coordination among the Indonesian military, civilians and foreign governments. "We haven't gotten any help at all, nothing, said a resident who was camped out five miles from the airport in Banda Aceh.
BEFORE: This detailed view of the west of the island was taken on Jan. 10, 2003	AFTER: As of Thursday, several governments had pledged $500 million in emergency aid for stricken areas.
BEFORE: This detailed view of the west of the island was taken on Jan. 10, 2003	AFTER: On Wednesday, the Indonesian military finally reached the Sumatra town of Meulaboh, closest to the epicenter on the massive earthquake. A bulldozer dug a mass grave the size of a swimming pool in which to pile corpses covered only by plastic sheets.

[CaptainM]

I'm glad Bryan that you erred by posting it! Thank you. I needed to see it to put some of the media coverage in perspective and jar home for me what a tragedy it is that really took place! I believe "WE" need to see it!

[FDNYRHEROES]

As graphic as that picture is, it is necessary to see it to give some sort of sense to the large loss of life. While satelite photos maybe impressive, they just convey the loss of prime real estate, not the loss of human beings. The focal point of the dead bodies photo reinforces the fact that the bodies are all individuals, not numbers. They all had lives and loved ones less than a week ago. The daily updated body count lost all meaning a few days back. As was said a long time ago, "one death is a tragedy; Six million deaths is a statistic".

[KEEPEROFTHEGATE]

PLEASE REMOVE THE TOTAL HORROR OF THIS PICTURE..PLEASE. MY IMAGINATION OF HOW TERRIBLE THIS ACT OF NATURE MUST OF BEEN IS ENOUGH..THANK YOU FROM MYSELF AND ALL THE OTHER VIEWERS WHO COULD BE SPARED THE INCREDABLE IMPACT OF THIS PHOTO...

[KEEPEROFTHEGATE]

YOU KNOW IM GLAD YOU HAVE FAITH IN "SOMETHING" BUT DO YA HAVE TO ALWAYS DO THAT HELL AND DAMNATION CRAP?? JUST ONCE IT WOULD BE A PLEASANT CHANGE (IN A WAY) JUST TO SAY WOW WE HAD A ..NATURAL..DISASTER!!!!!!!

[American in Israel]

A reliable, as yet unconfirmed report has emerged that in October 2001, Christians in Aceh were forced to sign a 'Mutual Agreement' to destroy a number of their own churches. They were also not to engage in religious activity in the homes of residents nor missionary activity. The purpose of this agreement, signed by representatives of the Islamic and Christian communities, was to 'create an atmosphere of living in harmony between the religious communities'. Failure to co-operate would result in 'unwanted consequences which could instigate the destruction of unity and oneness between the religious communities'. There were no restrictions placed on the Islamic community.


Islamic Sharia Law was introduced into the Aceh Province at the beginning of 2002. Governor Abdullah Puteh said this was part of a special autonomy package extended to the province last year which would usher in a 'new era' for Aceh. From 15 March, police will start enforcing Islamic dress code. The sanctions on violators are as yet unspecified except that they will be 'firm'. Government and private offices must have business signs installed in Arabic-style script. This apparently growing push for hardline Islam in Aceh will cause suffering for its small Christian minority.

[Phyto Chems]

bttt

[LadyPilgrim]

Yes!
Because hell and damnation, is something I was delivered from 31 years ago. The Savior in the Scriptures is my life.

I read your profile page.
You like all caps I see. ;-)

Happy New Year to you and yours!
And God Bless you!

[SauronOfMordor]

9-11 also should of been shown/remembered more over the media. I do not understand that to this day.

If the media had show the people trapped in the building with smoke and flame to their backs, the people diving from the windows as a preferred alternative to burning to death, the gore and body parts on the ground -- if they had shown this, then the American people would have supported turning the Arab Middle East into a parking lot, and strung up any "anti-war activist" that said boo about it.

It only makes sense when you assume the main stream media works for the other side

[Bryan]

PLEASE REMOVE THE TOTAL HORROR OF THIS PICTURE..PLEASE. MY IMAGINATION OF HOW TERRIBLE THIS ACT OF NATURE MUST OF BEEN IS ENOUGH..THANK YOU FROM MYSELF AND ALL THE OTHER VIEWERS WHO COULD BE SPARED THE INCREDABLE IMPACT OF THIS PHOTO...

I've taken some heat for posting this photo, and I've also received some support. You've seen what's on the thread, but I've also received some freepmail. I've explained that the satellite photos told only part of the story, and that this photo told another part. But I'll review some of the other factors that I considered.

None of the remains were significantly decomposed, burned, dismembered or significantly disfigured. Almost all of the bodies were face down. Almost all of them appeared to be adults. It could have been a lot worse.

Armed with 20/20 hindsight, I probably should have posted a warning in big, red letters and then, about 10 posts later on the same page of 50 posts, I should have posted the photo. A moderator edited the headline of the thread to provide that warning.

A photo like this is always going to be controversial. This is a horrific human tragedy. In particular, the nations of Indonesia and Sri Lanka have been devastated -- but as far away as Sweden, there are 2,500 people missing because it was a popular resort area for Europeans to take their vacations.

Now consider the relief efforts. There are literally millions of survivors in these areas, but many of them are now homeless. Stocks of food and medicine were destroyed. Water purification systems and sewage systems were damaged or otherwise compromised. The disaster relief agencies of these impoverished nations are pathetic compared with ours.

These are island nations. Even when a relief effort has successfully reached an island, the road network was never very good to begin with; and many roads and bridges were destroyed, submerged or covered with debris. Starvation and disease, particularly cholera -- which can dehydrate and kill a victim in a matter of hours -- are very real dangers.

We may be looking at just the beginning of a disaster that will rival the European plagues of the Middle Ages.

[js1138]

We may be looking at just the beginning of a disaster that will rival the European plagues of the Middle Ages.

We are also looking at something the U.N. should be good at. Where exactly are they?

[Bryan]

As graphic as that picture is, it is necessary to see it to give some sort of sense to the large loss of life. While satelite photos maybe impressive, they just convey the loss of prime real estate, not the loss of human beings. The focal point of the dead bodies photo reinforces the fact that the bodies are all individuals, not numbers. They all had lives and loved ones less than a week ago. The daily updated body count lost all meaning a few days back. As was said a long time ago, "one death is a tragedy; Six million deaths is a statistic".

You've done a better job of expressing it than I could. This picture, together with the satellite images, will convey the scale of this disaster far better than words on a page. Believe it or not, there are worse photos that are available. I chose this one because it gives an idea of the massive loss of life from the perspective of someone who is there, on the ground -- but it is within limits that most of us find tolerable.

[Bryan]

We are also looking at something the U.N. should be good at. Where exactly are they?

Based on past performance, the UN will do nothing but issue useless resolutions for the next 12 years. If anyone is going to actually do anything effective about this, it is up to individual nations and corporations to form a coalition.

[ohkw]

I believe the original source of the pictures is from http://crisp.nus.edu.sg/tsunami/tsunami.html

Should acknowlege the source.

[crushelits]

No, the images are not from http://crisp.nus.edu.sg/tsunami/tsunami.html

and NO I do not have to reveal or acknowledge the source.

[hyperspec]

Yes, they are from http://crisp.nus.edu.sg/tsunami/tsunami.html

Go to this page and scroll down to "Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia" and click on the links there.
These images are copyrighted © CRISP 2004.

I appreciate your sharing of these images in this forum. They really show the devastating effects of the tsunamis on Aceh. But Please.... Respect the rights of others if you want yourself to be respected. I don't think piracy is allowed in this forum.

[LibertarianInExile]

Did you even READ the title? What do you think "graphic images" means? When you put almost no effort into it like that, I bet it's really, really hard for you to get offended. /sarcasm

[LibertarianInExile]

Did you read the title of the thread? If you don't like your photos graphic, why would you go looking for them?

[LibertarianInExile]

The title of the THREAD should have tipped you off. Avoid graphic images if you don't like them.

[SunkenCiv]

Wow. It'll be good to see follow-up photos in upcoming days and weeks, as the last of the trapped seawater evaporates.

[gimme1ibertee]

My God!!! Those poor people. God be with them...
Prayers to all.