Today wasn't all bad news (though most of it was)

[erilyn]

It was first day back after all the public holidays and stuff, and we're behind now (we have strict weekly deadlines, though luckily this week isn't a pay week, next week will be a nightmare).

But we heard that a co-worker, who is holidaying in Thailand, has been in touch with her family, and she's ok. She was on a boat between Phuket and Pee Pee Island when the tsunami hit, and they were far enough out or something that they were safe, which is amazingly lucky as both places were devastated. But the numbers of dead just keep climbing and climbing, current estimates are up to 75,000. They still haven't heard at all from Simeulue, an island off Sumatra (or some of the others). It had a population of at least 60,000. A third of the population in parts of the Nicobar Islands are gone. 21,000 in Sri Lanka. Whole hotels with virtually no survivors in Thailand. There are no words really, and yet I keep watching the news and reading the papers, hoping to comprehend the incomprehensible.

Comments

[i-naiad.livejournal.com]

I'm finding it impossible to get my head around the sheer magnitude of this disaster. So many people and so much devastation. It's just...massive. The effects of this will be visible for years if not decades.

Also, because I'm being lazy, Turkish bread?

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, Turkish bread is a good idea.

I think I keep hoping that if I watch the news enough, they'll say, oops, we were wrong, it's *only* ten thousand who died. Which is a terrible thought, but every day, the estimated dead seems to have doubled.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty... she had a long lovely life once she moved in with you, I hope she went nice and easy at the end. She was a sweet funny little round ball of fluff.

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

figured you might need that. take care of yourself, hon.

[krazykitkat.livejournal.com]

Simeulue is amazingly safe.
From http://www.smh.com.au/news/Asia-Tsunami/Three-days-later-soldiers-find-town-in-ruins/2004/12/29/1103996617216.html

They knew to run on Simeulue, a palm-fringed island closest to the epicentre of Sunday's devastating earthquake.

"Our ancestors have a saying - if there is an earthquake run for your life," Darmili, the mayor of the island, said yesterday. "Thousands of our people were killed by a tsunami in 1907 and we have many earthquakes here."

Only five of 70,000 villagers on Simeulue were killed, all of them in the earthquake that struck at 7.55am last Sunday. Nobody perished in the five-metre-high walls of water that followed.

[chrismm.livejournal.com]

Yes. There's just no way to wrap my brain around it. I donated some, but I think I have to do more, after I figure out my budget. I just.

And I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty--*hugs* It's been a hard week.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Good god. Finally, some good news, thanks :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Mum and dad were with her, and they said she just went limp then stopped breathing, so hopefully it was painless and quick.

Hope you're taking care of yourself, and not passing out on the floor!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I've donated some, and I might donate some more, as I can't think of anything other way to reciprocate a Christmas present I've received, so I'll get her to pick her preffered aid organisation.

And thanks, I appreciate it :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) And I hope you're taking care of yourself and your finger, that sounds so painful.