Biggest earthquake in 40 years hits Southeast Asia - Part 2

[Flubber]

Canada's Disaster Assistance Response Team is starting to arrive in the region of Ampara, on the southern coast. But the military may have to be flexible in its mission.

DART's main mission was to bring clean water to Ampara, and set up a field hospital. However, CTV's Lisa LaFlamme, reporting from Ampara, said there is still a lot of aid getting in, mainly from the Indian army.

"That is probably one of the biggest shocks to us just having arrived here, that there is no obvious need. (It is) oversupplied and there is plenty of clean water," LaFlamme told CTV's Canada AM.

She said some aid workers are already packing up to leave the region because it's actually oversupplied. "There are so many aid workers here that they are actually trying to rush to the next spot."

LaFlamme said that when the Canadian military was asked about the situation in Ampara, DART said it would help in whatever way it could.

"They are also focused on rebuilding, which is a need," LaFlamme. "These are people who are picking the pieces, the old pieces of mortar, from their ruined homes and trying to build new ones."

DART arrived in Colombo on Saturday, and traveled through jungle and mountainous region Monday to Ampara -- one of the hardest hit towns in Sri Lanka, where 10,000 people perished in the Dec. 26 tsunami.

The military group was delayed getting out of Colombo. Their 12-hour journey from Colombo to Ampara is through jungle road and a mountainous region that is littered with deadly snakes and spiders.

"A lot of the roads in that area are impassable," CTV's LaFlamme told Question Period on Sunday from Colombo.

"And just to add more drama to this, there are intensified warnings of flash flooding in that region and also a cyclone warning."

Waterborne disease is another concern.

"Malaria, dengue fever, encephalitis. Those are a permanent threat day to day for everyone so that is more of a concern for me," Petty Officer 2nd Class Marc Belleville, a senior preventative medicine specialist with DART, told CTV News.

And then there's the possible threat posed by landmines.
"The tsunami washed away all of the markers and flags of the landmines that riddled the rebel-controlled region of the country," said LaFlamme, "so there's really no telling how far southeast floating landmines may have been swept

I guess its good news that so much aid has arrived so quickly in this region. If this is typical then we can hope that the death toll from the after-effects will not be nearly as bad as was feared

[Urban Ranger]

A kid was floating on the seas for 2 weeks before rescue. That's quite impressive.

[Berzerker]

Holy ****, just saw a video on Scarborough Country. The sea rose and went thru a city like an unstoppable force. People were walking away from the water as it started coming in, then jogging, running, finally climbing stairs. It was like a 6-7ft high river, I swear, the water just kept flowing. Not like a wave, but a river! And it was a river of debris and water with so much stuff being moved cars and stuff were creating islands and banks in and along the river. Even people who could swim stood a good chance of getting crushed by debris. That was the best video I've seen yet.

[Jack_www]

I wonder how many more peole are out in the middle of the ocean that live for days after the diaster.

[Urban Ranger]

Berz,

I saw that too. The "river" did not seem to move very quickly, but people had a hard time outrunning it, and it's got all sorts of debris while pushing cars along as if they were made out of polystyrene.

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Berzerker
That was the best video I've seen yet.

Maybe I'm just weird, but even without seeing that video and just going by the description, I would have called it everything else than "best".

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by Berzerker
Holy ****, just saw a video on Scarborough Country. The sea rose and went thru a city like an unstoppable force. People were walking away from the water as it started coming in, then jogging, running, finally climbing stairs. It was like a 6-7ft high river, I swear, the water just kept flowing. Not like a wave, but a river! And it was a river of debris and water with so much stuff being moved cars and stuff were creating islands and banks in and along the river. Even people who could swim stood a good chance of getting crushed by debris. That was the best video I've seen yet.

There was a video from Banda Aceh on Swedish TV. The earthquake razed some buildings there, so the reporter filmed people who were out on the streets trying to rescue the victims. Then the water came. Only slowly at first, but it quickly grew. It was something like the molten glacier in "Dante's Peak" if you've seen that movie. Brown and muddy, and full of broken wood, cars and smashed buildings, flowing in fierce rapids. No one who was in the water could have survived, it would be like being inside washing machine full of stones. And it was deeper than 6-7 feet, more like 5 meters.

[Berzerker]

UR

I saw that too. The "river" did not seem to move very quickly, but people had a hard time outrunning it, and it's got all sorts of debris while pushing cars along as if they were made out of polystyrene.

It was strange watching the beginning when the water first entered the street. People didnt seem too worried as they walked or jogged away but about a minute later the street turned into a river of water, cars, trees, tables, people, etc. Man that's weird... It looked like the water was moving 8-10 mph but I was watching how hard objects were being thrown into buildings. Yikes, drowning wasn't the problem, trying to swim thru the passage of the clashing rocks (old Ray Harryhausen movie) is what would kill you.

BC

Maybe I'm just weird, but even without seeing that video and just going by the description, I would have called it everything else than "best".

Yes, you are weird If you saw a video of the tsunami and you saw nothing, it would be a poor video. If you saw the tsunami in all its fury, that would be the best video. But okay, what would you call "the best" without calling it the best? Most graphic? Most detailed? Most horrifying? Aren't those "bests"?

CO

There was a video from Banda Aceh on Swedish TV. The earthquake razed some buildings there, so the reporter filmed people who were out on the streets trying to rescue the victims. Then the water came. Only slowly at first, but it quickly grew. It was something like the molten glacier in "Dante's Peak" if you've seen that movie. Brown and muddy, and full of broken wood, cars and smashed buildings, flowing in fierce rapids. No one who was in the water could have survived, it would be like being inside washing machine full of stones. And it was deeper than 6-7 feet, more like 5 meters.

Yup, the video I saw showed the river about 2/3rds to 3/4s up the first story of the houses lining the street. People just stepped off the street onto a staircase, those lucky enough to be near stairs anyway. But that reference to Dante's Peak is apt... The Japanese have built channels to direct mudflows but while I forget the name for this phenomenon, its basically a debris flow.

Btw, Indonesia is now upping its death toll to 210,000. That brings the total up to around 270,000, the 5th worst disaster in thel ast 3 centuries.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Berzerker
UR

It was strange watching the beginning when the water first entered the street. People didnt seem too worried as they walked or jogged away but about a minute later the street turned into a river of water, cars, trees, tables, people, etc.

I noticed the same thing - it happened during 9/11 too. I put it down people's natural curiosity and inability sometimes to recognise lethal danger.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Uh, no, AFAIK most of the money has gone to educational programs in the US

I was going to say something, but you have the winky smiley

[Dis]

Originally posted by Jack_www


Well I heard on the news before that bill gates plans to give allmost all his money away before he dies. And I though that we was worth $60 billion.

I think his wife will dictate otherwise.

[The Mad Monk]

I think the prenup agreement she signed will dictate otherwise.

[Uncle Sparky]

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13649105

Looks like some of the victims are starting to victimize the NGOs that are trying to help them...

I guess this is inevitable.

[Uncle Sparky]

... as for Bill Gates, iirc he's donated a huge $$ amount of Microsoft product to schools & colleges both in the US and internationally. Yes its good for the schools, but its also a tax right off and expands his consumer base.

and yes, he is part of the AIDS for Africa program.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Uncle Sparky
... as for Bill Gates, iirc he's donated a huge $$ amount of Microsoft product to schools & colleges both in the US and internationally. Yes its good for the schools, but its also a tax right off and expands his consumer base.

and yes, he is part of the AIDS for Africa program.

AIDS for Africa? So he supports Africa having Aids?