| Author | Message | ||
     Blake |
After I had no idea. | ||
| Blake |
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| Dino  |
I've waded thru a flood swollen stream (holding onto a downed tree trunk) and been awed by the power of the water. I cannot imagine the power of a 30 ft wave followed by the subsequent rush of the receding water. Unbelievable. | ||
| Blake |
Some more sat photos of another area devastated by the Tsunami...  Lhoknga, Indonesia (Before) | ||
| Lornce  |
Yes, it's all very unbelievable. The speed of the wave was considered to be a major factor contributing to the devastation: Believed to have been several hundred miles per hour in some locales. The island of Sumatra, the world's fifth largest island with a population of over 40 million people, is believed to have shifted 33 meters. Simply incomprehensible. (Message edited by lornce on January 03, 2005) | ||
| Coolice  |
Amazing Blake... | ||
| Wyckedflesh  |
I have ridden a small piece of foam, resin and glass fiber down a towering wave above my head, then peered out beyond the reef to gaze in awe as a wave 3 times taller curled and crashed...I have stood upon the shore and felt the wrath as a wave a mere 5 times taller then that I had ridden pounded its thunderous drumming...and it wasn't even big enough to host the Eddie Aikau Surf Invitational...minimum wave height of 25foot...Just from those experiences I can glimpse just a taste of the power that ravaged that coast and reminded us of our mortality... | ||
| Ingemar  |
Yes it is unbelievable what water can do. Have you guys ever heard of the "mega-tsunami" that is supposed to hit the east coast of the US? I am sceptical about it, but it is pretty interesting. It is based on what happened a few times already in a bay in Alaska. A flood caused by huge cliffs breaking off and falling in the water, causing a mega tsunami. Scientists project the next one to be 650 meters high and 40 kilometers wide, traveling at a speed of 720 kmh across the ocean and is supposed to completely wipe the east coast of everything known to mankind. You will roughly 6 - 8 hours to evacuate. There is an active vulcano island along the west coast of Africa called Cubre de Diega. Because of its structure, massive amounts of water are currently contained in the vulcano. When it erupts (and it does so every 50 years or so, the last one being 1949), it will boil the water, pressure will build up and the island will simply split in two. A massive part of the mountain will fall into the ocean causing the mega tsunami. I didn't make it up: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2000/mega_tsunami.shtml http://wwp.mega-tsunami.com/ | ||
| Shawn_9r  |
Yes... it is truly amazing what the forces of nature can bring upon us. I was in Florida for the hurricane's. I could not believe the signs that were twisted around (on 3 solid steel "I Beams"and the amount of sand that was washed on the shore. In some places the sand was pushed up on the side of the road... It looked like I was in the snow somewhere with snowbanks. Here in Hawaii I also got to see the "big waves" (40ft-50ft)I thought that was amazing it self. I could not even imagine that size wave moving at a couple hundred miles/hr. Shawn | ||
| Bluzm2  |
A co-worker sent these today. They are pictures of one of the waves hitting. I'm don't know which island(s) they are from. Truly frightning....          | ||
| Lpowel02  |
these poor people need all the help they can get at this point...check with your employer - many are matching donations to disaster relief funds. Mine is matching 100% any donation made to Red Cross and/or unicef relief funds. In addition, one of the larger supermarkets in this area is matching donations made by customers. I grew up on an island...I've seen the power of the sea and watched it do incredible damage firsthand...but this is a destruction and mayhem on a scale that most of us will never (hopefully) realize p.s. I'm not affiliated with any relief org nor am I trying to promote the ones I mentioned...I just think these people can use any help we can send, large or small} | ||
| Blake |
Lists organizations to which you may donate in support of tsunami relief... http://www.usafreedomcorp.gov | ||
| Rex  |
Convoy of Hope is also working to send money and items to them...rEX | ||
| Denisea  |
Hello from Sasha. Please pass this outreach along to everyone you know! This is a legitimate request from me to provide immediate help, if you are able, to a reputable humanitarian establishment throughout India. I am quite familiar with this establishment. Right now I have a very dear friend who was hopefully still at this Ashram in India as he was supposed to have been here. I have not heard from him. The Amritapuri Ashram is a most loving and generous Ashram in India which is led by Amma. It was quite damaged by the Tsunami and the villages surrounding the Ashram were swept away. Amma is a beautiful human being, much like Mother Teresa. This is a very legitimate humanitarian establishment that helps millions of people worldwide. Below are links so that you can verify their relief efforts. Amma is leading a massive effort throughout southern India to feed, comfort and cloth tens of thousands, but the damage that the Ashram suffered was enormous as many of the cooking and relief supplies were also swept away. For instance, bags of uncooked rice are arriving with little means to actually cook the rice! Medicine, propane, and other comforts are needed, but immediate funding is necessary. Amma is doing everything possible with the Ashram's resources to help those devastated. But resources are quickly diminishing. Immediate funding is desperately needed and will go DIRECTLY to the relief efforts. Amma takes care of many of the villagers throughout south India through her Ashram, University, Research center and Medical facilities. So much has been destroyed. Please read about the efforts now underway: India Website http://www.amritapuri.org/Mother-page.php Here is how you can contribute: USA Website for relief efforts http://www.ammachi.org/humanitarian-activities/get-involved/tsunami.html Feel free to call the California establishment to verify the efforts before making a contribution, if you want. The number is: 510-537-9417 and press 0 to speak with the attendant. Thank you so much. God bless you. Let's all remain prayerful. Love, Sasha sasha@bikerlady.com www.bikerlady.com | ||
| Court |
Tough to be the tried and true good old AMERICAN RED CROSS No fuss, no muss, no questions about "what if"... money straight to the problem. I live in a neighborhood packed full of Sri Lanka citizens. The stories are unbelievable, this eclipses all we've ever dreamt about. Thanks to all who are helping. | ||
| Aesquire  |
Not to diminish the tragedy, we seemed to have missed this bullet. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/asteroid_update_B_041227.html The "Super Volcano" in Yellowstone, the certainty of meteor strikes, neither likely in our lifetimes, and the 'quakes, landslides & tsunami's ( that will happen again ) will cause even greater loss of life in the future as our planet grows ever more crowded. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mystery_monday_040412.html Don't sweat it, don't live in a flood plain, ( there is a reason they are called that ), and have an emergency kit ( candles, wind up radio, a couple of days of fresh water, aid kit, oh heck ask any survivalist. ) Give if you can to help, I myself would stick to groups you know to be real. ( the above group may be legit, I don't know ) I myself will stick to the Red Cross, & don't plan to donate to any U.N. organ, I AM stingy. ( and un trusting ) | ||
| Charlieboy6649  |
Good call on the UN. Look at how well the oil for food program was managed! P.S. Don't paint Patrick as a villain for his comment. I too think it's crazy how many people knowingly live on a coastal flood plain... Give what you can to a charity that has the lowest admin costs. If you look at the Red Crosses numbers, their admin costs aren't all that great either... | ||
| U4euh |
 period The lady in the foreground in the fourth picture from the bottom, she appears to be smiling. The majority of those who died, knew nothing of what was happening. Sad, Sad situation. I hope the nations surrounding large bodies of water will incorporate a Tsunami warning system like the Pacific nations do, had it been in place, thousands of lives might have been saved. | ||
| Blake |
Some of the victims didn't have much of a choice where they lived, you know, the little ones. | ||
| Vegasbueller  |
I hate to rain on the donation parade here, but I agree with Court. Please check out the people that you are sending your donation to. I have already heard of people in several states calling people and asking for donations and all you have to do is give up that credit card number. Yahoo has an article about it. Just offering some friendly advice, Nick | ||
| Davegess |
You can count on the international red cross. | ||
| Bomber  |
Unesco is also a good group, in spite of it's being part of the UN -- at the end of the day, it matter little, I think, and I'm disappointed at the amount of name calling and finger-pointing that occuirs between charitable orgs -- sad | ||
| Bigdaddy  |
The Red Cross can't be beat. I've seen them in action and they're a known contributor. Administrative fees, or administrative overhead, can be very deceptive. If the administrative percentage is to low then you must consider if the organization is actually a good steward of the funds. They, the funded organization, must have someone on the ground and overseeing the disbursement of funds and goods. That comes with a cost. I've seen organizations advertising 5% administrative overhead and I'd never give them a dime because there's no way they're good stewards. I believe the 20% neighborhood is the most likely to get positive results -- much easier to give, and give freely, to the Red Cross. IMHO,,, Greg | ||
| Along4theride  |
Here in Atlanta there is a large indian community and some of the churches have organized trips to take supplies and needed items. If you don't have $$$ to send or don't feel comfortable giving cash donate a blanket, some rice or canned goods you won't be using. There are plenty of places taking donations of goods not just cash. | ||
| Light_keeper |
Some times these things hit closer to home emotionally than we like. see the link. this is where my head has been at for the last week or so. http://camden.villagesoup.com/Community/Story.cfm?StoryID=29803 | ||
| Henrik  |
Wow, Sandy. I can only imagine how rough a week it's been for you. I'm very happy for you and for this incredibly good turn of otherwise sad events. Henrik | ||
| Light_keeper |
He was in Sri Lanka for 6 weeks before that. we have some of the pictures he sent back showing us where he was. I have seen most of those same places on TV not as he lets us see them but as a destroyed area. I can only fathom a very small part of this. I know he will not speak of some of what he saw until we get a chance over a late night conversation. He was also a witness to 9/11 as he was attending NYC at the time. He watched it all unfold from one of the college rooftops. He will not speak to his mother about it and has asked me not to relate it to her. I spent lots of years in the search and rescue business as a coastie. I can not even begin to comprehend his world. My motive is that by shareing this with you all that there is a small bit of hope in an otherwise bleak situation. Sandy | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
Don't get me wrong, I believe in the Red Cross and its mission. I've been a Red Cross instructor for six years donating my time to their cause. I've been through Disaster Preparedness training with them so when things like this happen in the States, I can do my part here. You just have to look at specific disasters and find the group who will do the most good with your donated dollar. In the military we have a drive every year called the Combined Federal Campaign. In order to be listed as a receiver of these funds the groups must list their admin costs. All I wanted to point out is there ARE other groups out there with much lower cost per donated dollar than the Red Cross. My prayers do go out to all those affected by this. | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
Scams are already appearing... For the wary: http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel05/tsunamiscam010505.htm | ||
| T9r  |
Those photos are talked about at http://www.snopes.com Actually dates from 2002 and depict not a tsunami, but a tidal bore (unusually high tides resulting in waters flowing upstream at high speeds) on the Qian Tang Jiang River, in Hangzhou, China. | ||
| Outrider  |
FYI, the pictures shown above are listed on "Snopes" as an internet hoax. Not sure if hoax is the correct term, but these pics were taken a few years earlier during a more natural flooding phenomenon. Regardless, my heart goes out to the victims of the tsunami. Will post the Snopes direct link if I can get it back from my friend. Unfortunately, I deleted it before seeing this thread. | ||
| Outrider |
The following is the Snopes Website I referred to in my previous post: http://www.snopes.com/photos/tsunami/tsunami1.asp Heck, I just noticed that these pics were not even taken in Thailand. They were taken in China in 2002 and the scenes shown are relatively common there. Is just an FYI and in no means is intended to demean the seriousness of the tsunami disaster that recently occured. (Message edited by Outrider on January 11, 2005) |
