04 Tsunami - 5yrs ago today

[Flamesoholic]

I took a moment today to remember the horrific events that occurred this day that killed approximately 230,000 people in 11 countries.

I was in Florida that day 5 year ago, and I remember reading about the earthquake online while catching up on Calgary news. I saw a bulletin describing a 9.0 earthquake off of Sumatra but thought it had to be a typo, no way it could be that big. But as we all learned, it was even bigger than that, and those unbelievable images and shaky videos were heart-wrenching and forever etched into our memories.

So today I paused for a time to think about the horror of that day and remember those that were lost or lost loved ones.
Remembering this tragedy should remind us all how incredibly fleeting life can be. How important it is to seize every day and appreciate our lives and loved ones. How even the most innocent moment, even enjoying a perfect morning on a gorgeous beach, could be our last.
RIP to them all.

mods: I wasn't sure about bumping a super old thread from 2004, so delete this if you feel it should be.

[starseed]

It is hard to imagine that many lives being destroyed so quickly. You are right, we should never take our existence for granted.

[T@T]

Hopefully they now have the warning buoys, I was amazed they didn't have them at the time.

[Joborule]

Defiantly reminded us of the power of nature and how it can endanger your life at an instant.

[metallicat]

230,000 people. Unfathomable.

[Flamesoholic]

Originally Posted by T@T

Hopefully they now have the warning buoys, I was amazed they didn't have them at the time.

According to the UN, a system similar to the Pacific Tsunami Warning System became operational in June of 2006. I think I remember hearing about it being activated and a warning sent out after an earthquake earlier this year, but I'm not sure if I'm remembering correctly.

I was stunned that people living with the ocean as such an intrinsic part of their lives, that more didn't have some kind of knowledge, old stories or something that told them to run if the sea retreated. I understand that it had been forever since the last tsunami and information gets forgotten, but it surprised me none the less.

[TheU]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

230,000 people. Unfathomable.

it's really difficult to imagine isn't it? i can't even begin to wrap my head around that staggering amount of carnage.

[Flamesguy_SJ]

I realize this is kinda terrible and an odd thing to associate with such a tragedy, but whenever I think of the tsunami, I'm always reminded of this shirt on tshirthell.com




I was still in high school when it happened, and my English teacher saw this shirt and the class had a huge discussion about it and about tshirthell, and it was just such an interesting and strange conversation.

[Calgaryborn]

I wonder how much of the money promised to the UN ever was ever paid. I also wonder how much was ever actually used to build a new life for the survivors.

I do know that it was the American and Australian military that did the rescue work and kept the people alive for the first month. China did provide one hospital ship and Japan did a little as well. It made me sick hearing the UN reporting the amount of food/water drops they had done and the medical aid they had provided when in truth they weren't operational there for over a month. The UN fund raised for the first month and only sent in assessment teams who took valuable helicopter time away from those actually doing the humanitarian work. At one point the UN General actually had the gall to ask Bush if the US military would wear the UN's blue helmets. He argued that UN dressed soldiers would be received better by the locals. Bush said no and not surprisingly no food or water was refused.