Earthquake Trigger Tidal Waves in Asia, Killing more than

[MaryH]

5,600.

This story is still breaking. The earthquake was 8.9 - most powerful in 40 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Indonesia-Earthquake.html?hp&ex=1

One report I saw has 6900 killed.

The world's most powerful eathquake in 40 years triggered massive tidal waves that slammed into villages and seaside resorts across Asia on Sunday, killing more than 5,600 people in six countries.

Tourists, fishermen, homes and cars were swept away by walls of water up to 20 feet high that swept across the Bay of Bengal, unleashed by the 9.9-magnitude earthquake centered off the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. aftershocks

will occur-but aren't there also sometimes earthquakes on the other edge of the plates colliding? This could be the start of several earthquake events.

[MaryH]

2. I wondered about the aftershocks, too.

Why do these things always happen where the very poorest people live? Look at that awful one in Iran just last year? or the year before.

This thing hit Sumatra and Indonesia (17,000 islands).

And I don't know about the effects across the oceans - don't the waves usually go right across the ocean to the other side and can cause giant waves there?

[LizW]

3. What the heck is going on?

Is this not a major disaster? I read that over a MILLION people are homeless. CNN is talking about US politics.

Whole cities are devastated, and CNN is reporting on Bush's audacious agenda for his second term, and how to make holiday gift exchanges.

[MaryH]

4. I know - I can't believe the lack of concern about this

Biggest quake in forever - six countries hit. Thousands dead. Who knows what the real number will be.

[indigobusiness]

7. Navel gazing is more important.

We would care, if they had oil.

[fryguy]

5. not tidal waves

they were tsunamis - seismic ocean waves. the tide had nothing to do with their creation.

[neweurope]

6. Pope prays and asks for international help for the region

German online-magazine

http://www.spiegel.de/

:
Earthquake hits Thailand, Maledives, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia - main island of the Maledives is two thirds under water - so far 6 500 assumed dead - over a million homeless - historical event that could not have been foreseen - European Union gives 3 million Euro to help, will give more as soon as the damage can be estimated - European helpers are getting ready to fly to the region.

[Moderator]

8. duplicate topic, please discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1098957&mesg_id=1098957