Earthquake

[Cowperson]

Originally posted by Flame On@Dec 29 2004, 07:13 PM
Did you hear that (Sumatra was it?) one of the islands has actually moved by 36 meters due to the quake! In one of the range of mountains in the region, they're taller by 2 meters and the earth actually wobbled in it's rotation due to the quake. I heard on the radio that it was the energy of about 9000 odd atomic bombs going off.....damn right that'll make some wobble!

I think the stat was actually that it was the energy of one million Hiroshima size A-bombs going off.

Moving Sumatra 36 metres is something though. That's about 125 feet.

Cowperson

[KevanGuy]

http://staff.aist.go.jp/kenji.satake/animation.gif

An interesting animated gif of the quake.

[Flame On]

Originally posted by KevanGuy@Dec 29 2004, 01:52 PM
http://staff.aist.go.jp/kenji.satake/animation.gif

An interesting animated gif of the quake.

Wow that is interesting. There looks to have been a lot of ricochet, for want of a better term.

[Abstract]

Yeah Somalia was badly hit and thats obviously in Africa. We're very lucky in Britain to have the BBC. They are second to none in terms of coverage cos news is still the one thing that they are reveared for.

For people in Europe the DEC (Disaster Emergenxy Committee) looks like a good place to donate. Its an affilliation all the major charities (Red Cross, Oxfam, Save the Children etc) come under for huge crisi' like this.

On a personal note my brother has been to Thailand twice and to think of him there when this happened is chilling. The saddest story i've seen is of an Australian couple on the beach with their 4-month-old baby. The dad held on to the kid and thought he had her sfae but when the wave subsided he just had her clothes. An appalling tragedy.

[CrzyCanuck]

I'm not trying to be a @$$, but I don't like when the Canadian Red Cross goes on its advertising tear. Since the human death toll is so large, I agree that have countries of the world should help out. Good on Canada and others for offering assistance, which is already coming out of yours and my pocket, but then to come again and ask for money....

Saying that, I don't have family/friends that have been affected so I am not sure if my idealogy would change if that were the case. My prayers and thoughts go out to the familes and friends.

[Flame On]

Originally posted by CrzyCanuck@Dec 29 2004, 02:57 PM
I'm not trying to be a @$$, but I don't like when the Canadian Red Cross goes on its advertising tear. Since the human death toll is so large, I agree that have countries of the world should help out. Good on Canada and others for offering assistance, which is already coming out of yours and my pocket, but then to come again and ask for money....

Saying that, I don't have family/friends that have been affected so I am not sure if my idealogy would change if that were the case. My prayers and thoughts go out to the familes and friends.

The reason agencies like that exist is obviously due to the fact that governments "efforts" aren't nearly enough. Sometimes you can't even blame the governments (but come on 4 mil, that's a joke and I don't care what DART costs, send it now) they can't do it all.
It's the biggest disaster in generations, the largest you'll see, so can you really begrudge an aide agency asking for help in helping others?
I have given a little, and when I say a little I mean a little, it's what I can, but if that helps a couple of kids escape death due to dioreaha with purifaction tablets(sp?) then it's money well spent IMO.
And if you want a political party that represents you to not give to international disaster relief, or the IMF etc. then start a party that excludes that. "We will not burden our tax payers with bothersome expenses that may save lives, we'll pass those savings on to you, so they can purchase DVD's etc!!"
Just kidding, I hear what you're saying, I just think now's the one time they can justify pleading for our mo ney.

[???]

cnn just reported a 5.7 after shock off samatra{sp} this thing just wont end.

[jam26]

Originally posted by Mean Mr. Mustard@Dec 27 2004, 01:20 AM
It really is frightening and yet magnificent at the same time, and it really puts things in perspective. People in mass losing what little they actually did own in a matter of seconds.

Jam I really hope your cousin is allright.

Good news...we finally received word from my cousin and his girlfriend. They were staying in a hut at Phuket but left Christmas Day. They're still in Thailand but uninjured.
Hopefully more of the missing will turn up.

[300spartans]

Hey our govt isn't cheap afterall, increase from $4M to $40M

[The Goon]

I also got word that my co-worker buddy is safe and uninjured in Thailand. A small bit of relief in this tragedy.

$40million won't be the final tally.

I hope a lot of us can donate. I feel so useless over here, unable to do anything but send some money to the Red Cross.

[Neeper]

Originally posted by The Goon@Dec 29 2004, 06:33 PM
I hope a lot of us can donate. I feel so useless over here, unable to do anything but send some money to the Red Cross.

I feel the same. Makes me wish I could just pick up and go there and help those children. I would do it if I could leave my work somehow. And if I could actually afford to go there. I don't have a real specialty though, like medicine, so I don't know how I could help. I donated $100 today. Money is what they really need right now. If everyone in Canada could pitch in $5 each, it would help them a great deal. It's just so heartbreaking for me to see all these people suffer so much.

[Tron_fdc]

On Monday, Jan Egeland, U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, criticized the world's "rich countries," saying, in general, that the amount of foreign aid they gave was "stingy."

That could have something to do with the sudden turnaround from the Cdn. government. I thought 4 million was pretty stingy as well, considering the amount of money they habitually toss around on golf courses and ad agencies....

Also interesting to note the US has kicked in 35 million.....and an aircraft carrier.

CNN Link

[Tron_fdc]

An estimated death toll, broken down by country is here

There are a few other interesting links, such as the one telling how they have yet to find any dead animals....

[Cowperson]

Originally posted by Tron_fdc@Dec 30 2004, 02:34 AM
On Monday, Jan Egeland, U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, criticized the world's "rich countries," saying, in general, that the amount of foreign aid they gave was "stingy."

That could have something to do with the sudden turnaround from the Cdn. government. I thought 4 million was pretty stingy as well, considering the amount of money they habitually toss around on golf courses and ad agencies....

Also interesting to note the US has kicked in 35 million.....and an aircraft carrier.

CNN Link

The kick in the arse for the Canadian government came from the Canadian people, not some obscure UN guy. You could certainly pick that up from the editorial pages and talk shows in Canada the last few days.

The USA ships being dispatched can individually produce anywhere from 50,000 to 90,000 litres of fresh water daily and the assault ships in particular have amphibious, helicopter and vehicle capabilities that would be sorely needed as well as ample medical facilities.

In all honesty, I think the global community is simply stunned by the enormity of it all as well as the fact it is a global event. There are areas only now being seen from the air for the first time and the full scale is still being weighed. There are 3000 Americans missing, 1500 Swedes, 1400 Swiss, 1000 Germans, tons of Italians, etc, etc . . . . they're just not turning up and they might not in the future either.

Cowperson

[Flames89]

My mom and stepdad are in Sri Lanka.

I finally heard on the 27th that they phoned an uncle to say they were okay and that they were continuing their travels in Sri Lanka ( ), but then the phone went dead. They are still there and have not heard word since. I don't like the idea that they are still there with corpses throughout the streets. But at least we received the word.

Been a screwed up post-Xmas.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally posted by Tron_fdc@Dec 29 2004, 07:34 PM
On Monday, Jan Egeland, U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, criticized the world's "rich countries," saying, in general, that the amount of foreign aid they gave was "stingy."

That could have something to do with the sudden turnaround from the Cdn. government. I thought 4 million was pretty stingy as well, considering the amount of money they habitually toss around on golf courses and ad agencies....

Also interesting to note the US has kicked in 35 million.....and an aircraft carrier.

CNN Link

I'm not about to defend the Canadian government for much, but look at the beginning of this thread. The first post from fotze has 150 people dead and look how rapidly things changed. By nighttime boxing day they had estimates that were a fraction of what they would be the next day and again the next day and then again today.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally posted by fotze@Dec 29 2004, 09:30 PM
My co-worker was gone the day before as well.

The weird thing is the videos don't look that crazy to me. It looks sort of like a wave pool affect, it's just unreal how many people died from it. I giess if it slams you into something then back out. Just not as huge as I had pictured.

You have to remember that water was traveling at around 40 miles per hour when it reached the beach there. It would be more like a sudden river than a wavepool. Some of the stories are just heartbreaking to listen to, such as the one about the austrilian who lost his baby and was just hanging onto the clothing. I don't know how I could react to that.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally posted by fotze@Dec 29 2004, 09:30 PM
My co-worker was gone the day before as well.

The weird thing is the videos don't look that crazy to me. It looks sort of like a wave pool affect, it's just unreal how many people died from it. I giess if it slams you into something then back out. Just not as huge as I had pictured.

I thought the same thing with some of the videos, especially the ones shot from rooftops as the waves splash, but some of the others, in particular those guys standing on top a full size bus that sinks! on a city street, then holy crap.

Not sure where that video was shot, in India I think, but it's a regular road with cars and a few seconds later it's 20 foot deep (at least) fast moving river.

[wittynickname]

Originally posted by Tron_fdc@Dec 29 2004, 10:51 PM
There are a few other interesting links, such as the one telling how they have yet to find any dead animals....

I've been a weather/geology geek since I was old enough to read, and I remember a book that mentioned animals having a sense about things like this. If your pets ever start acting crazy for no reason at all, trying to get out of the house...pay attention to them. A lot of times, shortly before an earthquake, animals will start acting very strange. It could explain why no dead animals have been found, they may have all been moving from the area before the earthquake itself, which would give them plenty of time to get away from the tsunamis that ensued.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally posted by fotze@Dec 29 2004, 10:36 AM
Did you guys read that story in the herald of the 7 year old swedish kid whose parents and brothers are probably dead.
]

Missing Parents & 2 Brothers Karl Nilsson

One of the saddest images I have ever seen.