Latest news on the tsunami disaster in this region and information on how you can help with donations, aid and relief efforts.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Atrocities in Myanmar!
This is not a tsunami related post but I believe strongly that each and every citizen of the world has a right to democracy, regardless of nationality, religion or social standing. Hence I'm putting up this post to let the world know of the atrocities that has befallen the people of Myanmar(formerly known as Burma) which was brought about by the nation's Junta(Myanmar's military ruling party).
In the past week there has been a peaceful uprising in which pro-democratic demonstrators onsisting of Myanmarian citizens and Buddhist monks took to the roads of the capitol city Yangon in thousands protesting for democracy in the poverty stricken nation of Myanmar. The military run Junta instead of finding a peaceful solution to the protests shocked the world by firing on them with automatic rifles! Killing their citizens and even monks! Buddhist monks are the epitome of peace and morality in this country and even such peaceful folks have been driven to protest against Myanmar's 45 years of military rule and hardship, and this rare and peaceful protest is reciprocated by the government with bullets and batons instead.
I urge the people of the world to open their eyes to these cruel atrocities brought upon the nation and people of Myanmar by it's own government, in hope that the world leaders of all countries in the world will unite and quickly work together to put an immediate stop to this sickening and blasphemous atrocity!
The Junta government has locked down all modes of telecommunication in the country but a few bloggers have managed to retrieve information and images of the true situation over there. Please read more about it at the following blogs :
NEWS CONFIRMED : Tsunami warning issued after 7.9 magnitude quake off Sumatra
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued a tsunami alert after a powerful earthquake struck off Sumatra, Indonesia at 7.10pm.
The department has advised people in the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Penang to move away from beaches as a safety precaution.
Tremors were felt in parts of the west coast of peninsular Malaysia when the quake struck.
It was centered at 105 km southwest of Bengkulu, Sumatra and 718km southwest of Johor Bahru, at a depth of 15.6km.
Malaysian is adequately equipped to detect a tsunami and issue a warning within an hour before it reaches the shore.
The system is based on two buoys - one in the Andaman Sea near Rondo Island in Indonesia and the other in the South China Sea near Pulau Layang-layang in Sabah.
Malaysians will receive notice of evacuation via television, radio, satellite broadcast and SMS within 15 minutes of data transmission from the buoys.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had earlier issued a tsunami alert for the entire Indian Ocean region after the quake.
Price of new low-cost homes too steep for tsunami victims
PENANG, MALAYSIA : The tsunami victims in Penang are unable to move into their new homes because the price is not right, said MP Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye. The state government had set a ceiling price of RM42,000 per unit of low-cost home but the company engaged by the Federal Government to build the houses for tsunami victims was quoting RM52,000 per unit.
Chia said the state government was not agreeable to the price quoted by the company. “The state has appealed to the Federal Government to look into the matter urgently as the tsunami victims need to move into permanent homes,” Chia said.
The tsunami victims who lost their homes in Dec 2004 have been living in transit longhouses since more than two years ago. The victims have been complaining that the transit homes have started falling apart with cracks and leakages. Chia said the housing problems must be settled soon as the new homes would also fall apart if left unattended for a long time.
Tsunami 26th December 2006 - recalling the days that followed that bewildering and chaotic day
Date: Dec. 26, 2004
* Tzu Chi volunteers were unable to enter the disaster areas due to a temporary closure ordered by the local police squad for safety concerns. * Later that evening, Tzu Chi volunteers went to the morgue to help the families of the victims. They served hot meals and provided care and emergency cash to them. * Number of households helped: 14. * Amount of hot meal served: 320 bags. * Number of volunteers participated: 60.
Date: Dec. 27, 2004
* Some volunteers started entering the disaster areas in the morning, while others were preparing hot meals, emergency cash and relief goods. * Volunteers reported that some of the victims needed help to clean up their houses. Ten volunteers participated in the cleaning effort and cleaned two households. * At noon, volunteers spread out into different disaster area and started the relief efforts by disbributing relief goods at a designated shelter amd making door-to-door distribution. * Number of households helped: Tanjung Tokong (57), Permatang Damar Laut (35), Bagan Teluk Kumbar (30), Pulau Betong (40), Kuala Muda (273). * Medical staff affiliated with the Tzu Chi International Medical Association offered free clinic services to the victims at the relief shelters in Tanjung Tokong and Kuala Muda. * Number of victims received medical attention: 28 people. * Households received relief goods: 435. * Hot meal served: 1,260 bags. * Number of volunteers participated: 300
Date: Dec. 28, 2004 Methods of relief efforts: 1) relief distribution at a designated shelter; 2) door-to-door distribution.
* Number of households helped: Kuala Jalan Baru (36), Permatang Damar Laut (16), Sungai Pinang (50), Bagan Jermal(83), Tanjung Tokong (20), Tanjung Bungah (88), Kuala Muda (295). * Another group of volunteers headed to the disaster areas to clean up the trash and debris. Later, they were joined by the relief team and transported a total of seven truckloads of trash. * Medical staff went to the relief shelter in Kuala Muda to provide free medical care. * Number of victims received medical care: 100 people. * Households received relief goods: 588. * Hot meal served: 690 bags. * Number of volunteers participated: 200.
Date: Dec. 29, 2004 Methods of relief efforts: 1) relief distribution at a designated shelter; 2) door-to-door distribution.
* Number of households helped: relief goods delivered in Tanjong Bungah of Penang (66) and Bagan Jelma (5). Relief goods were distributed in Kuala Teriang of Langkawi (210). * Volunteers continued the cleaning effort after the relief was finished. They provided cleaning effort in the same disaster area as yesterday. Another eight truckloads of trash were transported today. * Forty-five Tzu Chi volunteers from Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Kedah, Johor and Langkawi came to the Langkawi relief shelter to provide relief goods to the victims. * Tzu Chi volunteers were able to identify residents who needed special care and help in the Tanjung Bungah disaster area with the help of the village's top official. The volunteers collected the case data in preparation for subsequent post-disaster care. * Hot meals were served to the victims without hot food in Bagan Jelma of Penang. * Households received relief goods: 281. * Hot meal served: 24 bags. * Number of volunteers participated: 77.
Date: Dec. 30, 2004 Methods of relief efforts: distributing relief materials at a designated shelter.
* Number of households helped: Tanjung Bungah of Penang (13), Bukit Malut of Langkawi (330), and Sungain Bakau (51). * Twenty-eight Tzu Chi volunteers continued the house cleaning and gave personal care in Kampung Nelayan of Tanjung Bungah. Tzu Chi volunteers also teamed up with a local Christian group to clean up the disaster areas. In the afternoon, 18 volunteers took over and continued the cleaning effort. * More than 60 volunteers from Alor Setar, Jitra, Butterworth and Penang joined to help cleaning the victims’ houses in Kuala Muda. A total of five houses belonged to 10 elderly people and a kindergarten were cleaned by the volunteers. Volunteers were ordered to leave the area later by the police due to another possible tsunami attack. * A Tzu Chi social worker and 10 volunteers provided care and relief goods to the families of the killed victims. Seven households were visited and four households received relief goods. * Two rounds of relief goods distribution and free medical clinic were provided in Langkawi today -- in Bukit Malut in the morning and in Sungai Bakau in the afternoon. * A total of 45 Tzu Chi volunteers and social workers from Penang, Kuala Lumpar, Kedah, Johor and Langkawi participated in today’s relief effort. * About 200 people came to the free clinic for medical treatments. Two doctors, two nurses, one pharmacist and four volunteers helped in the free clinic. * Number of Households received relief goods: 39 * Number of volunteers participated: 151.
Date: Dec. 31, 2004
* A total of 22 volunteers participated in today’s cleaning up effort in Tanjong Bunga (including the beach area). Tzu Chi volunteers also provided hot meals (170 boxes) to these victims in two relief shelters, delivered relief goods to one household and reported five cases needing for further help. * Tzu Chi social workers and volunteers continued to provide in-home care to the families of the deceased victims and delivered relief goods to them based on the information from two hospitals. Among the six families they visited, one lost five children when the tsunami hit. Both parents of that family were too devastated to take care of their own injuries. Tzu Chi volunteers provided loving care and would continue to offer their care and support. * Households received relief goods: 7. * Hot meal served: 170 boxes (Tajung Tokong: 150 boxes, Bagan Jelma: 20 boxes). * Number of volunteers participated: 27.
Date: Jan.1, 2005
* A total of 218 Tzu Chi volunteers headed to the disaster areas in Pulau Betong in the morning to help community cleaning up. They also cleaned seven houses damaged by the tsunami. The cleaning work continued until 4:30 p.m. * Besides Tzu Chi volunteers, there were many other people from local businesses and organizations joining the cleaning up effort during the New Year’s break. The day's volunteers included 218 from Tzu Chi, 150 from Intel, 80 from PPH, 30 from BLIA, 15 from Four-Wheel Drive Team, 3 from Inventec, and 50 others. * Together with everyone’s cleaning effort, a total of 32 truckloads of trash were transported out from the tsunami-affected area.
Well it seems that Blogger/Google finally manage to restore this blog to the original, with all the original tsunami articles and all.
It is really amazing what the people in Google can do. Well, now all we have to do is to add new content to this already magnificent blog.
I for one would like to feature the tourist destinations of both Penang and Thailand. This is to bring more awareness towards these beautifully restored tourist destinations that is already known the world over.
Here are some pictures of famous places in both Penang and Thailand.
The chilling fact is another earthquake measuring 7.2 struck off southern Taiwan. Is this just a coincidence? The perfect timing? Or is it something more? A sign perhaps?
Magnitude 7.2 quake off southern Taiwan - USGS
TAIPEI (Reuters) - A magnitude 7.2 quake struck off southern Taiwan on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site, but there were no immediate reports of damage.
Britain's Sky News, quoting Japan's Meteorological Agency, said the quake had triggered a tsunami heading for the Philippines.
Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said the quake measured 6.7 and was located at a depth of 22 km. Its epicentre was west-southwest of the Hengchun Peninsula on the island's southern tip.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said no Pacific-wide tsunami was expected, although a local tsunami was possible.
By Richard Balmforth BANG MARUAN, Thailand (Reuters) - Thailand began burying the last 110 of its unidentified victims of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in an inter-religious ceremony on Wednesday not far from the beaches on which they were killed.
Muslim and Roman Catholic priests joined Buddhist monks in presiding over the burials in big concrete chambers from which well protected bodies could be retrieved easily if DNA samples and other evidence kept by researchers produced an identity.
Eleven aluminium coffins were interred in each concrete chamber cut into the sandy soil of a cemetery 3 km (2 miles) from the Khao Lak beaches swept clean of tourists, workers and fishermen at the height of the tourist season two years ago.
Thais bury an unclaimed body, one of the unidentified victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, at Bang Muang Cemetery in Phang Nga, 788 km (490 miles) south of Bangkok, December 6, 2006. (REUTERS/Sukree Sukplang) Most of the unidentified victims were believed to be Thai or migrant workers from Myanmar who were among the 5,395 people, half of them foreign holidaymakers, killed by the tsumani in Thailand, where it left almost 3,000 people missing.
DNA samples and other evidence from each body would allow investigators to continue searching for identities, officials of the Thai Tsunami Victim Identification (TTVI) said.
The aluminium coffins and concrete chambers capped by 500 kg (1,100 lb) lids would preserve the bodies from the hot, humid climate, they said.
"If relatives wanted to pick up the bodies in the future, then we could dig them out easily," TTVI official Police Lieutenant Wiwat Sidhisorudej said.
The burial of all 110 bodies was expected to be finished early next week in the cemetery where 300 unidentified bodies were buried over the past two months, officials said.
Still in cold storage at the nearby TTVI centre, which took over in January after most international experts ended their role in what has been called the world's biggest forensics investigation, are more than 100 bodies.
They have been identified but not yet claimed by relatives -- among them one Turk, one Nepali, 73 from Myanmar and 27 Thais killed by a tsunami in which more than 230,000 people died or disappeared in a dozen countries.
About 30 identified bodies of migrant workers from military-ruled Myanmar would be collected next week by one of their representative, said Colonel Khemmarin Hassiri, the TTVI chief.
During the burial ceremony, Sangkeep Kulmee came to pick up the body of her aunt, killed by the giant waves while working at a Khao Lak resort and identified nearly two years later.
"The feeling of happiness or sadness now is equal as I have been waiting for my aunt's body for almost two years," she said.
NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA, Dec 1st, Magnitude of 6.3 earthquake
I personally experienced the tremors right here in Penang. The readings of the quake is said to be :
An earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck Indonesia’s North Sumatra province Friday, but there is no immediate report of injuries or damage so far.
The tremor hit at 10:58 local time (0358 GMT) and was centered in the town of Tebing Tinggi, some 70 km east of the provincial capital of Medan, said Hardiyatno, a national earthquake analysis staff with the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency.
More info, photo of the readings and latest news can be found in my personal blog.
The Indian Ocean tsunami generated record promises of help by scores of governments around the world.
Reuters Tsunami Aidwatch was set up to measure how much of the money pledged after the Dec. 26 disaster is converted into actual funding for relief and reconstruction in the region.
In previous emergencies donors have often failed to honour their pledges – for example the United Nations says donors paid less than half what they promised after Hurricane Mitch which killed 10,000 people in Central America in 1998.
Private aid
The tsunami response has been unusual in that members of the public have in many cases given almost as much as their governments, and in some instances - eg United States, Britain, Switzerland and Mexico - they have even given more.
The total aid figure also includes an estimate for these private donations. This figure can only be approximate as it is impossible to account for every dollar dropped into every collection box for every one of the multitude of agencies helping in the region.
Some governments have kept tabs on private donations but the majority have not so we have also used information from the larger aid agencies. The figure $0 next to private donations on the bar chart means no information was available.
In some cultures people may be loath to say how much they have given to charity as it could be seen as boasting. In other places, big private donors may not want to disclose how much they have donated for tax reasons.
Official aid
Government aid comes in many forms – outright grants, military logistical help, debt relief, in-kind donations and concessional loans.
Aidwatch pledge figures may differ from those given by donors where they include concessional loans. The reason is that donors tend to express loan pledges in terms of the sum lent whereas we have estimated the actual cost to the donor of lending that sum.
For example, Australia says it has offered a A$1bln aid package. But as half this is in the form of loans we have estimated how much it will cost Australia to lend A$500m. This works out at A$451.3. See below for more details.
Pledges and allocations are based on announcements and information from the donors along with official statistics. Totals may not always match totals stated by donors because of the inclusion of different categories of aid allocations. Explanatory notes for individual countries can be found by clicking on the tab marked "What's your country doing?" and then clicking on a country in the list.
Allocations include not only money that has been disbursed but also funds that have been formally approved for a specific purpose even if they have not been physically handed over.
Aidwatch data excludes routine contributions by governments to multilateral organisations such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Department. But it does include supplementary tsunami-related contributions where known.
Data includes debt relief or loans that borrowers are no longer required to pay back but not debt moratoria or changes in debt-repayment schedules.
Where possible, currencies were converted at mid-May rates.
How we worked out the grant element of loans
To create a consistent measure of tsunami aid, we have put concessional loans on the same footing as outright grants by establishing the "grant element" of the loans. This is done by calculating the "cost" faced by the donor - in other words, what the donor loses as a result of the transaction. For interest-free loans, the cost to the donor is that of the interest payments it would otherwise have got if it had lent the money at market rates. For a low-interest loan, it is the difference between interest payments received and market rates.
To calculate the grant elements both of Australia's zero-interest loans to Indonesia and the Asian Development Bank's loans we have used a discount factor of 10 per cent. This discount factor is used by the ADB in its internal calculations. In our estimates it is used both to calculate the value today of a repayment made in the future, and as the assumed interest rate the borrower would have to pay on the open market.
To calculate the grant elements of the floating rate ADB loans to Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India we have assumed they are equivalent to a fixed rate loan and made the conversion at the 30-year 'swap rate' at which floating rate dollar-denominated loans can be traded for a fixed interest rate (approximately 5.00 per cent as of mid-May, 2005).
Tsunami loans - Summary
* Converted at US$/A$ rate of 1.287 prevailing in mid-May ** ADB's standard discount factor and the rate used for calculations of interest foregone by lender *** Involves assumptions about nature of loan yet to be clarified by ADB
Around $13.6 billion has been pledged by donors around the world to rebuild Indian Ocean countries after the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami, which killed around 230,000 people, the U.N. Envoy for Tsunami Recovery says.
It is more than enough to meet the estimated needs.
Here are some key facts about the tsunami relief and rebuilding effort, which the United Nations says was the most generous and most immediately funded international emergency relief effort ever.
* Total damages: $10.73 billion; rebuilding costs: $10.375 billion.
* Number of countries affected: 13 (Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Madagascar, Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, Kenya, Bangladesh)
* Number of people displaced: 2,089,883
* Number of people who lost their livelihoods: 1.5 million
* Number of houses reduced to rubble: 392,544; number needed: 308,000; number built or under construction: 46,000
* Number of boats destroyed: 103,829
* Ratio of women and children killed to men: 3:1
* Total time of earthquake that triggered the 2004 Asian tsunami: eight minutes (Sources: U.N. office of the Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, Oxfam International, Reuters Alertnet)
Today is exactly one year from the day the deadly tsunami waves struck. More than 200,000 people lost their lives in one of the worst natural disaster in the history of mankind.
A year has passed now and the worst is over but the reconstruction will continue for years to come. Hundreds of thousands of people today are still living in temporary homes and are still trying to come to terms with the magnitude of this tragedy.
Sitting here in the comfort of my home and writing this post, an array of emotions tingle through me when I think of that fateful day exactly one year ago. Sadness,for the many people directly affected by the tsunami. They have lost so much. And all so suddenly. Humility,for having realised that live can be so fragile and that our world and all things we hold dear could come crashing down on us any moment without warning. We should all live life each day as if it were our last. Anger,for feeling so helpless and weak when the tsunami struck. Relief,for knowing that there is still good in the hearts of humans. What amazes me most from this tragic event was the solidarity shown by people from all over the world regardless of nationality, colour or religion. For once we forgot our differences and the world came together and stood as one.
I wish to pay tribute to all those people who had so selflessly and kind heartedly helped the victims directly or indirectly. You may have donated some money,you may have shared some words of sympathy,you may have helped out in a collection centre. Whatever it was, however small you thought it was, all of it was worthwhile. Every little bit had helped the victims in some ways or another, I'm very sure of that.
To those who died, I pray that you find peace. To their families and loved ones, I pray that you will find the strength to move on in life. What has happened,has happened. We must move on but we don't have to forget. The memories of those who died in the tsunami will forever remain in our hearts.
I am hoping to hear some news of Dr, Arifin Sutan Sjahrir, or any member of his family in Malaysia who can enlighten me on their situation. I have heard nothing from him since the Tsunami. We corresponded as friends prior to the disaster.
Many thanks
D.R.Holmes England
NOTE:If you know anything of Dr Arifin,please email the admin of this blog. Thanks.
The Deadly Dec 26 Tsunami That Changed Our Lives Forever
It has already been eight months since the deadly Dec 26 tsunami hit Asia. This terrible tragedy which struck us so suddenly will forever remain in our memories for generations to come.
I live in Penang Island. A quiet, peaceful and beautiful tropical island located in Peninsular Malaysia. An island that is reknowned for it's pristine white sandy beaches and is a very well known and popular tourist destination. On December 26 2004 - pandemonium struck. Giant waves swept into the coastal beaches of Penang and our lives changed forever. We now realise how fragile life really is and how easily it can be taken away from us.
When the tsunami first hit Penang, there was a news blackout for a few hours and many did not know what had really happened. You would be surprised that in some places no one even knew the magnitude of the disaster only until a few days later.
I started this blog six days after the Tsunami hit. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing. Blogs are powerful tools for disseminating information. I only realised this after having started this blog. There were several satisfying and notable accomplishments that this blog achieved. I received many emails and most of them were from people all over the world that were concerned about their loved ones and friends. There were even a few cases where this blog had successfully reunited long lost friends! I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the contributors of tsunamipenang.blogspot.com who had helped me so much in running and maintaining this blog. Especially Cynical-Idealist, DannyFoo and Eric Ho.
A friend of mine who works in a popular hotel in Batu Ferringhi which is the most popular beach destination in Penang for tourists, told me that their room occupancy rate had dropped tremendously after the tsunami tragedy. As we all know,the tourism and hotel industry are always sensitive to such things. However, tourists are slowly returning now which is a good thing.
Yes. The Asian Tsunami was a terrible tragedy but the fact remains that life goes on and that we should never live life in fear. Staying away doesn't help. I truly hope that more tourists would return to Penang, Phuket, Bali and also to the other countries that were hit by the tsunami.
322 officially confirmed dead in Indonesia,based on latest official reports from Indonesia. The Indonesian authorities estimate that the death toll may amount to 1000 or 2000. Nias, a small island off the western coast of Sumatera was directly and most badly affected. The quake has been re-rated to 8.7 on the Richter Scale.
Quake puzzles tsunami experts. Many expected this quake to trigger a tsunami devastation similar to that of December 26,however,strangely it did not. Only a small wave was detected by a tide gauge on Cocos Island near Australia, about 2400 kilometres south of the epicentre. Some scientists believe the depth of the quake was the reason no tsunami was generated. The US Geological Survey said Monday's quake struck about 30 kilometres under the seabed. The December 26 quake was closer to the surface. This example goes to show the difficulties in predicting tsunamis.
Situation in Penang Island. At 2.30am today. About 2.5 hours after the quake, the roar and humming of motorboat engines could be heard along the beach areas. Possibly, patrol boats scampering along the coastal seas of Penang trying to warn the fishermen who were out at sea of a possible tsunami attack. The local authorities have reacted to this new tsunami threat remarkably quick and it shows that they are now prepared. We have learned from the past.
7.00am. The worst to fear was over. The tsunami that everyone feared would strike again never did happen. It was already past 5 hours from the time the quake occurred.
4.00pm. The loud buzz of helicopter rotor blades can be heard throughout the day since dawn. Helicopters can be seen patrolling the skies of Penang Island. The noise that these helicopters produce are a little unnerving, but it's assuring to know that the local authorities are taking all precautions necessary to help prevent another disaster.
Aceh, Acehkita Earthquake of an 8.2 Magnitude scale returns to shake Aceh and the North Sumatera. The Aceh people are reported to be in a state of panic and nervous that there will be a repeat of the December 26 tsunami incident.
Until this news comes down, communication to Aceh remains confidential. Acehkita tried contacting the Meteorological and Geophysical Body of Banda Aceh but couldn’t be connected as all communication has been cut. In conjunction, the US Geological Survey Group reports the quake happened at 23:10PM. According to the readings, the quake happened at a distance of 205KM off the Sibolga shores, Northern Sumatera at a depth of 30KM below sea level.
Our contributor in Aceh at Banda Aceh reports, during the earthquake for 5 minutes, it caused an outstanding panic situation. Electric power was out. People were running aimlessly in the darkness of night. Some people were running out of their homes with valuables. “I’m really afraid of another tsunami like the past December,” said one person.
Because of that, some people are busy seeking higher territorial ground like Blang Bintang, in Aceh besar, roughly 35KM from the center of Banda Aceh.
At Peuniti, Banda Aceh, some people are loading valuables from their house onto vehicles to move then to higher territories. At Beurawe, people are running in the direction of the mosque. Prayers chants can be heard from mosques. The panic situation has caused a massive traffic jam on the bridge of Simpang Surabaya.
Bireuen is also in a state of panic. The Polsek and Koramil members are working to calming the public that have brought out valuables from their homes. After hearing the orders, people have shifted their valuables back into their homes. But the public still prefers to anxiously stay outside their houses.
Minutes after the earthquake, our Acehkita contributor at Bireuen just arrived at the Kuta Blang beach to observe the ocean calming.
In the meantime, at Lhokseumawe, people living in the villages (Pusong Baro, Pusong Lama and Ujong Blang) near the beach are running towards Kandang and Panggoi. Our Acehkita contributor at Lhokseumawe reports, TNI are in time to prevent people from fleeing to outside the city. An earthquake also happened at Pidie.
Mukhtar, a Lhokseumawe citizen said that he managed to flee with his family just in time without reason. “What’s important is to be far away from the ocean in anticipating if another tsunami occurs,” he said.
Indonesians living in coastal areas are evacuating
NTV7,a Malaysian TV news channel reports that the Indonesian authorities have ordered an evacuation of residents living in the coastal areas off Aceh and it's vicinity. Military lorries and soldiers were shown assisting in the mass evacuations.
In Malaysia, the TV news channel also reported that Malaysian government officials and emergency units are on the alert. People living in coastal zones of Penang Island, Kedah and Langkawi are urged to temporarily move to higher grounds in fear of another tsunami attack.
The latest earthquake recorded on a seismograph. Taken from ChannelNewsAsia
As I am sitting here at 2am in the morning, many things run through my mind.
I felt the tremors at around 12.10 midnight worse than the one that cause the tsunami. My neighbours who evacuated to the open ground also agreed with this. We are staying at Medan Lumba Kuda, a low rise, 5-storey apartment.
I can't help but wonder if our little island in Penang will be spared this time, should there be another tsunami? Are we prepared this time? What are we supposed to do? There are so many questions running through my mind.
Being a mother to school going children, in St. Xavier Institution and St. Xavier Primary School, I am definitely not going to allow them to go to school tomorrow morning. I cannot bear the thoughts of not having them near me. The last time when the tsunami happened, it was during the school holidays. They are home. What if something like this happened when our children and spouses were away. I cannot imagine the agony I will feel.
It is sad that even in our little peaceful island, we have to worry about these things now. I pray that we will all be safe and there will be no more tsunami.
It was reported in CNN that Thailand has issued a warning that the quake could bring a tsunami to its southern provinces. The warning, which was carried on national television, cautioned people in the six provinces to be careful and vigilant, but did not order evacuations.
Malaysians should be vigilant too. The epicentre of this latest Indonesian quake is very close to the location of the recent boxing day quake that triggered the deadly December 26 tsunami. Preliminary reports of this latest quake measured 8.2 on the Richter Scale, but based on witness accounts throughout Malaysia, the tremors that were felt were must worse.
Mount Erskine,Penang: An eyewitness reported that his apartment block located in Mount Erskine,Penang shook so violently that many residents scrambled down to the ground level for safety,himself included.
Georgetown,Penang: An eyewitness living in a double storey grounded house reported that the whole building shook and even photoframes on the walls were displaced.
Butterworth,Penang Mainland: An eyewitness in Butterworth reported that his computer monitor shooked violently for a few minutes. He also claims he saw street lamps on the street outside his house swaying!
Earthquake confirmed in Northern Sumatera, Indonesia
The earthquake has been reported by US Geological Survey that it measured 8.2 on the Richter Scale. Much stronger than the previous one on December 26th.
The epicentre of the quake was reported to have been at sea off the coast of Medan Indonesia at Indonesian local time 11:09:37 PM on Monday, March 28, 2005.
Note: Malaysian local time is an hour ahead of Indonesia's.
A huge tremor was felt in Penang, Butterworth and as far as Teluk Intan Perak just minutes back. It lasted for a few minutes and witness accounts say that it felt stonger than the recent earthquake on December 26th.
News - Black Eyed Peas, Backstreet Boys Head To Malaysia For Tsunami Relief
What unites poeple, regardless of their age, race, religion or creed, is a tragedy that claims an insurmountable loss of life and, in its wake, leaves the living forever scarred. And what happened on that fateful day - Dev 26 last year - would be echoed through time, for such a tragedy will not be easily forgotten. Even now, months since the Tsunami tragedy, the outpouring of help and support continues.
Black Eyed Peas, Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean are teaming up to raise money for tsunami victims by throwing a concert in a nation within the devastated region: Malaysia on March 18 in Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil,Kuala Lumpur. Under the banner Force of Nature for Tsunami Aid, the concert will also present Hong Kong stars such as rocker Nicholas Tse, singer/actress Yumiko Cheng, and international celebrity Jackie Chan. The slate of Malaysian acts set to appear includes veteran singer Sheila Majid, Dayang Nurfaizah, Anuar Zain and vocal group Innuendo.
Organizers hope that the Force of Nature concert reminds people not only that the relief effort is far from over, but also that a bigger power than the tsunami could be the human spirit.
The Force of Nature concert tickets are priced at RM82, RM182, RM242, RM352 and RM552 and can be booked through www.axcess.com.my or you can call 03-77115000. For more information on Force of Nature, you can visit the website at www.forceofnature.org.
Locating friends - Kenneth Rodriguez and Rizal Razman
I am writing to you because I have not heard from two of my friends in Malaysia since the tsunami occurred. I only have their e-mail addresses to contact them and I have had no response. Their names are Kenneth Rodriguez and Rizal Razman. Kenneth works for Motorola and Rizal works for the University as a professor. Is there any way I can find out if they’re okay? Please let me know. Thank you for your help! From Trisha Voeltz.
Don't know what to do for the approaching summer or spring break?
Why not travel to an exotic holiday destination to have a taste of tropical paradise and at the same time lend a hand to help the tsunami victims in Phuket, Krabi and Khao Lak,Thailand.
Alternatively, you could also head to Sri Lanka to help rebuild homes for families of poor fishermen.
Generosity, compassion, and kindness are all food for the soul. Be a part of the global humanitarian effort. As one volunteer in Thailand expressed, “I came to realize that the victims, both the ones who died and the ones who survived the tsunami, are the same as those who have come to help them. For they would do the same for us had things turned out just a little bit differently.”
News - Former US Presidents Visit Indonesia's Tsunami-Devastated Aceh Province
20 Feb,Aceh,INDONESIA, Former U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton toured Indonesia's Aceh region Sunday to see firsthand the destruction caused by the December 26 earthquake and tsunami that struck a dozen Indian Ocean countries. The aim of their visit is to keep donor interest alive during the rebuilding phase. Mr. Bush and Mr. Clinton met with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Sunday before flying to Aceh Province. They discussed accountability and transparency in the distribution of aid. Indonesia is ranked as one of the world's most corrupt countries but Mr. Yudhoyono reassured the former presidents aid money would be spent wisely. Mr. Bush and Mr. Clinton then flew over Aceh, much of which was destroyed by the tsunami. Roads and bridges are gone, and whole communities have been wiped out. Mr. Clinton said he had never seen anything like the Aceh destruction. He estimated it would take three to five years for the region to recover. More than 290,000 people were killed by the December 26 tsunami, most of them in Aceh. More than a million were displaced. Mr. Bush says he hopes their visit will help aid efforts. "What we want to do is just to be sure that we keep the interest of the American people up, the private sector so they will continue to generously support whatever efforts are determined best on the ground," said George H.W. Bush.
MAHABALIPURAM,India. Archaeologists have begun underwater excavations of what is believed to be an ancient city and parts of a temple uncovered by the tsunami off the coast of a centuries-old pilgrimage town.
Three rocky structures with elaborate carvings of animals have emerged near the coastal town of Mahabalipuram, which was battered by the Dec. 26 tsunami. As the waves receded, the force of the water removed sand deposits that had covered the structures, which appear to belong to a port city built in the seventh century.
The government-run archaeological society and navy divers began underwater excavations of the area on Thursday.
News - Asian tsunami deadliest natural disaster in 500 years
The death toll from the earthquake-generated tsunami in Asia made 2004 the deadliest year for earthquakes in five centuries, the U.S. Geological Survey said Thursday. The agency estimated the toll from the Dec. 26 tsunami at 275,950. Waverly Person, director of the agency's earthquake information center in Golden, Colo., said he expects the final count to be even higher.
Based on the agency's estimate, 2004 would have counted an earthquake death toll of 276,856, the second highest in recorded history.
The deadliest quake on record occurred Jan. 23, 1556, when a magnitude 8 earthquake killed an estimated 830,000 people in Shansi, China.
CAMPBELL BAY, INDIA - A young woman who lived on wild fruits and coconuts for 45 days after the tsunami devastated India's Andaman Islands has been rescued. Local police said the 18-year-old was rescued on Wednesday from the southern Andaman island of Pillopanja. Her husband and one-year-old child are missing and presumed dead. Police said another resident returned to the devastated island and found the seriously ill woman on a deserted beach. She's receiving medical treatment for malnutrition and mosquito bites. The young woman fled to the island's forests when the killer waves struck, but did not emerge in time to be evacuated to nearby Campbell Bay island with the rest of the people on Pillopanja who survived the disaster. About 2,000 people are confirmed to have died when the tsunami hit the Andaman Islands. Another 5,500 are still missing and presumed dead.
Latest Confirmed Death Toll
Indonesia: 242,347
Sri Lanka: 30,957
India: 16,389
Thailand: 5,393
Maldives: 82
Malaysia: 68
Myanmar: 61
Bangladesh: 2
Somalia: 298
Tanzania: 10
Kenya: 1
Total: 295,608
This figures include 127,774 listed as missing in Indonesia and 5,640 in India. Those missing are now considered dead.
In addition, 3,071 people are still listed as missing in Thailand and 5,637 in Sri Lanka but are not included in the toll because of possible double counting.
An all-star soccer match to raise money for tsunami victims is set for Feb 15 in Barcelona's Nou Camp Stadium in Spain. All proceeds from the "Football for Hope" match will go to the Tsunami Solidarity Fund set up by FIFA and AFC. FIFA's player of the year, Ronaldinho, and Europe's player of the year, Andriy Shevchenko, will captain the two sides.
Shevchenko XI Coaches: Marcello Lippi (Italian national team), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal).
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid).
Defenders: Kakhaber Kaladze (Georgia, AC Milan), Christian Karembeu (France, Bastia), Vincent Kompany (Belgium, Anderlecht), Paolo Maldini (Italy, AC Milan), Carles Puyol (Spain, Barcelona).
Midfielders-Attackers: Michael Ballack (Germany, Bayern Munich), David Beckham (England, Real Madrid), Deco (Portugal, Barcelona), Alessandro Del Piero (Italy, Juventus), Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool), Thierry Henry (France, Arsenal), Raul Gonzalez (Spain, Real Madrid), Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine, AC Milan), Patrick Vieira (France, Arsenal), Johann Vogel (Switzerland, PSV Eindhoven), Zinedine Zidane (France, Real Madrid).
Ronaldinho XI Coaches: Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazilian national team), Frank Rijkaard (Barcelona).
Goalkeepers: Dida (Brazil, AC Milan), Idriss Kameni (Cameroon, Espanyol).
Defenders: Cafu (Brazil, AC Milan), Cordoba Ivan (Colombia, Inter Milan), Gabriel Heinze (Argentina, Manchester United), Radhi Jaidi (Tunisia, Bolton), Samuel Kuffour (Ghana, Bayern Munich), Rafael Marquez Alvarez (Mexico, Barcelona), Lucas Radebe (South Africa, Leeds), Javier Zanetti (Argentina, Inter Milan).
Midfielders-Attackers: Cha Doo-ri (South Korea, Eintracht Frankfurt), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Barcelona), Kaka (Brazil, AC Milan), Mehdi Mahdavikia (Iran, Hamburg), Ronaldinho (Brazil, Barcelona), Sebastian Deisler (Germany, Bayern Munich), Ji-sung Park (South Korea, PSV Eindhoven), Ludovic Giuly (France, Barcelona), Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea).
News - Politics could sink revamped tsunami warning system
WASHINGTON, Driven by the suffering and destruction from the Indian Ocean tsunami and the potential for a similar calamity in the United States, the White House and Congress have moved quickly to offer plans for significantly beefing up an early-warning system to detect killer waves. Yet despite bright science and good intentions, the long-term success of a more robust tsunami warning system could hinge more on politics and the competition for scarce dollars than on technical wizardry.
Critics who fear that the funds needed for such a project would be at the expense of other existing US natural disaster warning systems say that the best protection, involves technology and education. People must know the warning signs and how to respond. Using an experience in Sri Lanka to illustrate the point. Shortly before the tsunami struck, people flocked to the beach to watch the ocean's dramatic and unusual retreat. That, of course, is a telltale sign of an approaching tsunami, but few people understood the phenomenon.
In my opinion, a tsunami early warning system should not just be a country's burden but a global initiative undertaken, possibly by the UN. A tsunami could hit anytime and anywhere in the world.
News - Tsunami death toll in Indonesia rises again
INDONESIA'S health ministry said today the number of people dead and missing after December's earthquake and tsunami had risen by 1829 to 240,774.
The ministry said the number of people confirmed dead and buried was 113,000, while the number of people missing and almost certainly dead remained at 127,774.
Officials say the missing would only be confirmed dead after one year.
Different government agencies have given conflicting statistics on the casualty figure for the Indian Ocean disaster.
Mother Without Borders is a group of civilian volunteers from Utah USA specializing in helping orphaned and disadvantaged children. Each year they lead dozens of volunteers who pay thousands of dollars to travel to Africa, where they spend their vacation time building schools or teaching mothers to crochet. They're used to traveling to remote areas but not disaster zones.
Click here to read first hand accounts of their experience and what they had to face at ground zero in Aceh Indonesia, the area worst hit by the asian tsunami.
Thailand. Latest figures are 5,392 dead, 3,066 missing, 8,457 affected. A mental health assessment of persons in the tsunami affected area will be carried out later this month. A temporary duty-free zone will be declared for the tsunami affected area in hopes of reviving tourism. Hotel occupancy is about 10% in affected provinces, compounding economic disaster.
Relief workers in Sri Lanka are having a difficult time sorting out piles of donated items that has been sent from all over the world by well wishers. Some of these items are now known as "Frustrated Cargo". Dubbed by relief workers because they are unusable and they just do not know what to do with them. Arctic jackets, sweaters, dress shoes, winter hats and even thongs are piling up in warehouses taking up valuable space. These items were all donated with good intentions but it's pretty obvious not much thought had gone into their selection process!
This tsunami disaster is the worst and most devastating human catastrophe in living memory. Write to us if you wish to share a personal experience, locate a missing friend, or simply want to convey a message to the victims.
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Quotes
"Without my wife I don't want to live. But because of my child, I will." - Sri Lankan Pala Withanage.
"I have been just married for a week and been spending our honeymoon in Bentota, Sri Lanka. Sharon (my wife) went down to the beach this morning to sunbathe and I have not seen her since. All I saw was a big wall of water coming down on the place where her sun bed was. She was probably fast asleep. I'm absolutely devastated." - British resident Ben Chod
"If the body is in a condition to be moved, we put it into the mass burial pit and if it's too decomposed, we pour diesel over it and burn it with debris from thatched huts. Usually the pyres have 20 to 30 bodies at one go." - South Indian resident Subash
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