Just looking at the DFAT site....this must have happened over night...sounds bad and hit such a wide area...Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia...musta have been big

I wonder if it was a side effect of the under water earth quake they had south of Tassie last week? Big ripple effecthttp://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/TravelBulletins/Tidal_Waves

Anyone heading over that way on holidays read...or if you have relies there now

I'll see if I can read news in the paper

Yeah looks very very bad, I was just watching the BBC news. Sad, very Sad.
Over 11,000 dead so far.


[Edited on 26-12-2004 by Gibbo]

Here's The Age online....this was big :jesus

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Tidal-waves-kill-thousands/2004/12/26/1103996441278.html?oneclick=true

Lot's of divers missing near Phuket...it's a big holiday area this time of year...not to meantion all the people who live there all the time

The Age has video footage...looks like it came without much warning...people were having breakie at their resorts then bang the wave came

It hit so many countries in the region

I hope anyone here with friends or relies over there that they are OK

Things like this seem to be getting all to frequent in the rescent past. Whats going on?
Rob...

its happening more often coz its the end of the world...

heres a pic from the news, is that a notch i see?

not a notch.
It's up to 16000 now. That is incomprehensible.
I can't imagine that many people just wiped out.........

yeh so terrible. But you can bet one day it will happen here as well. I can remeber being in Darwin 30 years ago when Cyclone Tracey hit and everyone thought at the time it was just going to be another harmless one.

[Edited on 27-12-2004 by Andy42]

I was going to do some diving in Thailand on the way if I had Chrissy with my kids in London.....100 divers missing in cave Phi Phi Island.... my eldest son did some diving there a few years ago ....I hate to think about it...scary stuff

So bad....it hit so suddenly...no warnings

The south of Tassie underwater earthquake and now this one....it does make you wonder what's happening....they can only theories over these type of things that happened thousands of years ago...makes you wonder if something big is about to happen...the seismologists will be going crazy right now...honestly hope there is nothing bigger about to happen :jesus

I've been on the coast of India that got hit as well....walked through the fishing villages.....:jesus

Wasn't there one just of the coast Of NZ rescently?
Rob...

Just had some good news, my nephew is in thialand on a island called Ko Lanta and he and hid girlfreind are ok, he reported dead bodies in the ocean and on the beach, bloody shocking, was a terrible wait waiting for news, he was one off the lucky ones..

Andy

Glad to hear that!
Its terrible seeing those PPL fighting for their live's. We are so lucky in this country that we have been spared the horror of this sort of tradgedy!
Rob...

Good news Andy...it must have been horrible for them... something they will never forget

I stayed in Phuket last year, went diving at that cave and many other spots off the coast.. Scary stuff.
Most of the footage of Phuket I have seen on the news I could recognise the streets and buildings from where we stayed

My son said it was eerie as well...he was diving from Phi Phi and knew the beach...Seems like most of the divers were OK....but a couple are missing..they must have been under the water and not be as affected as much as if on the surface...don't know about the dive boat though

I know with the New York Trade Towers it was creepy for me....I'd been up them and taken photos...and had a step son living near by them at the time

None of these things are good at anytime....it makes you realise how fragile this world of ours can be and how suddenly we can loose people we love...disasters like these are not a nice way to go....traumatic all around...when we loose someone we always hope it was quick and that they didn't suffer..when my husband died at work we all said he died doing something he loved (he cared for a bunch of intellectually disabled adult guys) ....we try and easy our pain...we hope that it was quick and no suffering...

I so feel for these people :sandrine

My son just visited...he has a friend missing...lived with gf 3 years...got married....on his honey moon...only married 2 weeks...she OK but he's missing...Simon saw it on the news FARK :cry

We can't wrap everyone we love in cotton wool but FARK...:cry

Family are trying to get there to be with her

Apparently the earthquake shifted the ocean floor upwards 30m's along a 1000 km section. That's what I've heard anyway, but haven't read anything. The visuals all awful to watch on TV.

Squiz.....

FARK the seismologists are in a frenzy this one has been big....the news is so bad..... I dread loosing anyone else so much ....feel for these people ... I stopped watching the news after the Bali bombing but read the papers ... I can only imagine half the pain

one of my cousin's students and her family r missing in Phuket.. they were in their hotel room at the time of the waves..

and we got rellies in Sri Lanka :/.. theyre all alright.. but water has turned to shit there.. so anything could happen :|

it's bad bad stuff
i can't stand watching it because i, well, i can't stomach it
hope any veedubbers there are okay.

zac

Damien I'm glad your rellies are OK and I hope they find that family is OK...they may have gotten away from the area and not contacted anyone yet...lets hope...I'd imagine you would be in a lot of shock after being in something like that ...may be in flight mode

Yes they will have to boil water or buy bottled water which is everywhere in these places...Cholera and Typhoid will be a problem

When I was in Micronesia a whole village area took sick with Cholera because a septic tank had been put in above their water source...a US military medical team was flown in and took over hte place I was staying....quite a few people died...mainly elderly or very young babies

They have to be extra careful with preparing food and using water

the water here in england where i am at the moment is very very hard. dries out the skin something shocking. even forces me to put mostureizer on more than twice a day!

zac

If you want to donate some money for relief there are some links here...they'll need it

http://www.ausaid.gov.au/hottopics/topic.cfm?Id=9562_2054_7529_7688_4864

at one of our sites we have 4 indo workers. out of the 4 one guy has not been able to find any info on his entire family they are all missing and the other guys fiance is missing, not good pray no more people die

last report something like 50,000 dead

It must be so horrible for them waiting to hear news...

Yes lets pray that there are no more deaths...there is a massive relief effort going on.....these people that volunteer in these situations are amazing

Another of our workers was telling me a story of an eye witness account. He said the waterline had receded so quickly that sea life was left on the ground the villagers that were there saw them and went to collect them but got hit and crushed by the second waves.

death toll has hit over 50,000! and more are expected to die of disease and malnutrition. there must be smething our government can do... id our 10 million dollars enough.

finally the americans have got it right, pledging over 45 million australian dollars to the cause

Quote:

Originally posted by Robo Things like this seem to be getting all to frequent in the rescent past. Whats going on? Rob...

We can all do a bit...

Donate some of that post Christmas spending money...only buy half the prawns you were going to for the New Year party ...drink two bottles of beer less (a real sacrifice)...JUST GIVE UP A LITTLE it can help so much

Some information on how the money the government contirbuted will be spent...and then some aide organisations who are always there at these time to help

This is from the DFAT website...

Australia has made an initial contribution of $10 million:

*$5 million will go to support a public appeal launched by the Australian Red Cross (this will support the international appeal including deployment of Red Cross personnel to make assessments of where immediate assistance is required)
*$3 million to provide assistance to Indonesia
*$2 million to Australian NGOs who undertake community level work in the region.
Foreign Minister Downer has announced further aid contributions totalling $25 million. This is in addition to the initial contribution of $10 million.

Specific new allocations are:

*Indonesia: $10m to support immediate needs
*Sri Lanka: $5m to support international emergency relief efforts.
*Australian NGOs: A further $5m to support the relief programs and appeals of AusAID
*International relief: A $5m allocation to support international emergency relief efforts in other affected countries, including Thailand and the Maldives

Relief agencies are best able to identify critical needs and cash gifts are the most practical way to help those agencies to purchase materials and meet logistical costs.


*Australian Red Cross:

Australian Red Cross has launched an emergency appeal, in support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies initial appeal for approximately A$8.5 million. The appeal aims to provide assistance to some 500,000 people after the strongest earthquake in 40 years caused massive tidal waves, killing at least 11,500 people, according to local authorities, and leaving more than one million displaced and homeless. Countries affected include Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Maldives.
The number of injured is still not known. With telecommunications lines down or saturated, there is still a scarcity of information from certain countries.

The appeal aims to bring immediate support to relief operations of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies operating in the affected region.

To Donate to the Asia Quake and Tsunamis Appeal:


Call 1800 811 700
visit http://www.redcross.org.au  to make a secure online donation
send a cheque to GPO Box 9949 in your capital city

*Care Australia http://www.careaustralia.org.au/ 
CARE is already delivering assistance in most of the countries hit by the tsunamis and will continue to expand its emergency response:

• Sri Lanka appears to be the country hit hardest by the tsunami. CARE has already begun relief response programmes in the affected areas and expects to provide food for 14,000 people in the Batticaloa district over the next several days.

• In India, the affected area is in the southeast, mainly the coastal parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerela, Pondicherry and the nearby islands. CARE is coordinating its emergency response with Indian state and federal governments, and with a local partner.

• The area most affected in Thailand includes the provinces of Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Ranong. CARE is assessing the situation with a focus on assistance to migrant populations.

• The area most affected in Indonesia currently appears to be the province of Aceh, which felt the full force of the earthquake. CARE is preparing to provide clean water to affected populations.

CARE’s emergency response to all affected areas will include provision of items such as food, water purification tablets, soap, shelter materials, basic medical supplies and cooking supplies.


To make a single gift, donate online or call 1800 020 046


*Caritas http://www.caritas.org.au/ 

Caritas is the world’s second largest international aid network and is represented in 162 countries.

Caritas already works with local churches and organisations in the affected areas of India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Bangladesh. This is critical - having the trust of affected communities and being on the ground means we can immediately meet the needs of the most vulnerable.

Caritas Australia will be channeling support through the local Caritas networks in Sri Lanka and India and through the Jesuit Refugee Service in Indonesia who have offices in Aceh and North Sumatra.

What is Caritas Australia doing?
Caritas Australia has committed $500,000 dollars in response to the disaster. We have launched the Asia Earthquake Appeal and set a target to raise $1 million.

Caritas workers on the ground are addressing the urgent concerns of those affected in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

Key areas of emergency work include:
● Emergency health assistance for those affected by the disaster
● Providing shelter for those who have lost their houses
● Identification of missing people
● Prevention of the rapid spread of water-borne diseases
● Mass burials and funerals for the dead


Donations to help the victims of the Asia Earthquake can be made on-line or by contacting 1800 024 413

*Oxfam-Community Aid Abroad http://www.oxfam.org.au/ 

Oxfam Community Aid Abroad has already started work in the region. In the worst affected areas of Sri Lanka, Oxfam staff have been working non-stop ferrying the injured to hospital as well as collecting and identifying the dead.
The flood waters have contaminated wells and clean water is scarce. Oxfam has already sent sixty 1,000 litre water tanks to Trincomalee, one of the worst affected areas and is planning urgent water distribution. Oxfam is also preparing 25,000 food packs containing rice, flour, dhal, fish, sugar and cereal to address the food needs of people who have lost everything. A further 10,000 hygeine packs containing other essential items such as soap, sanitary towels, candles and matches are being put together.

Shelter is also a major issue with thousands of houses completely destroyed. Oxfam is sourcing plastic sheeting for temporary shelter for 10,000 families. In the north of the country, Oxfam has already started distributing sleeping mats, plastic sheeting and food to thousands of homeless families
To donate to Oxfam Community Aid Abroad's EARTHQUAKE TSUNAMI EMERGENCY FUND call 1800 034 034



*World Vision Australia http://www.worldvision.com.au/ 

World Vision anticipates emergency needs and prepares to meet them before disaster strikes.

Through your support, World Vision is able to pre-stock ‘ready-to-go’ emergency supplies in warehouses strategically located in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy.

These warehouses allow us to quickly send emergency supplies such as water purification tablets, shelter materials, cooking utensils and blankets to devastated areas.

When World Vision responds to a disaster, staff can be there within 72 hours. World Vision’s Global Rapid Response Team (GRRT) is made up of fulltime relief experts. Our ongoing worldwide work in nearly 100 countries gives us contacts in local areas, who can help to get relief programs up and running quickly in an emergency

In Sri Lanka World Vision already has 10 teams working in 10 districts, with aid including the provision of pre-cooked food. The teams are also looking at how aid can be provided as people return home. This includes further food rations, utensils, clothing and tents for shelter. Because wells have been contaminated we are also looking at the provision of safe drinking water when people return to their villages. At present the Sri Lankan Government is providing safe drinking water to those who have lost their homes.

In India we are feeding about 5,000 people a day with pre-cooked food and also have a team of five doctors who are providing mobile medical aid. We also have a mobile doctor in Thailand.

In Indonesia we are providing clothing as well as shovels and hammers to clear the debris. We have also already provided five water storage units, each capable of holding 5,000 litres of water. World Vision is also setting up child friendly centres with activities that will enable children to have some semblance of normality and reduce the effects of trauma.

We have no knowledge of any deaths of any children sponsored through World Vision Australia although 100 children sponsored through World Vision Canada in Sri Lanka are missing. We will be sending out letters shortly to supporters with an update on sponsored children.

WELL these some of the main organisations you can donate a little money to...and a run down on the work they are doing over there right now