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[Alasse]

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[Aditu]

Asia battles earthquake aftermath

Survivors and rescuers are battling the devastation left by sea surges that wiped out entire communities, killing more than 20,000 people.
The death toll continues to spiral up and mass graves are being dug even as people hunt for the missing.

The extent of the damage is still not known in areas worst hit, including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India and Thailand.

International aid efforts have begun amid fears that disease could spread through the disaster zone.

Survivors may have little clean water or sanitation as they try to build shelters and bury the dead after Sunday's 9.0 magnitude earthquake sent huge waves from Malaysia to Africa.


 DISASTER TOLL
Sri Lanka: 10,800 dead
Indonesia: 4,500 dead
India: 2,958 dead
Thailand: 839 dead
Malaysia: 44 dead
Maldives: 32 dead
Burma: 30 dead
Bangladesh: 2 dead


Eyewitness accounts
In pictures: Quake disaster
At-a-glance: Countries hit 

"This may be the worst natural disaster in recent history because it is affecting so many heavily populated coastal areas... so many vulnerable communities," UN emergency relief co-ordinator Jan Egeland told CNN.

Sri Lankan government officials doubled the number of known deaths on Monday to more than 10,000 and at least 800 more are reported killed in the rebel-held north of the island.

"The scale of the tragedy is massive and Sri Lanka... has never been hit by tidal waves or earthquakes in its known history," President Chandrika Kumaratunga told the BBC.
Aftershocks

The number of dead has also soared well into the thousands in Indonesia and India, and thousands more may have been killed on the Andaman and Nicobar islands where reports say entire communities were swept into the sea.

 
The waves flattened entire areas
 
Packed holiday resorts in Thailand were also badly hit, and the waves killed people in Malaysia, the Maldives, Burma and Bangladesh.

Thousands are missing and many more thousands forced from their homes by the worst earthquake in 40 years that generated a wall of water speeding across the oceans.

Hundreds of fishermen are feared drowned off the coast of Somalia, officials said on Monday.

Aftershocks have also been detected, sparking warnings from Indian and Sri Lankan weather officials of further, smaller surges, also known as tsunamis.

Searches are continuing off southern India for those swept away from beaches or in fishing boats.

"Death came from the sea," Satya Kumari, a construction worker living in Pondicherry, told Reuters. "The waves just kept chasing us. It swept away all our huts. What did we do to deserve this?"

In northern Indonesia, nearest the epicentre of the undersea quake, soldiers were sent to recover bodies from trees where they were dumped by huge waves, as correspondents reported the stench of death was beginning to become overpowering.

One man, Rajali, told the Associated Press news agency he could not find dry ground to bury his wife and two children.

 GIANT EARTHQUAKES
1960 - Chile, 9.5 magnitude
1964 - Alaska, 9.2
1957 - Alaska, 9.1
1952 - Russia, 9.0
2004 - Indonesia, 9.0 

Helicopters winched survivors from Phi Phi island in Thailand overnight as the navy was called in to help the rescue effort from the country's ruined holiday resorts that had been packed with tourists from dozens of countries.

Many of the bodies still being recovered are said to be clad in swimsuits, with people dragged to their deaths as the tsunami smashed into beaches without warning.

A national disaster has been announced in the low-lying Maldives islands, more than 2,500km (1,500 miles) from the quake's epicentre, after they were hit by severe flooding.


Aid promises

International organisations have already made pledges to help the victims.


The International Monetary Fund promised "whatever possible assistance"
The Red Cross launched an appeal for 5m euros (£3.5m; $6.8m)
The European Union pledged 3m euros (£2.1m; $4.1m)
Russia sent 25 tons of humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka.

Sunday's tremor - the fifth strongest since 1900 - had a particularly widespread effect because it seems to have taken place just below the surface of the ocean, analysts say.

Experts say tsunamis generated by earthquakes can travel at up to 500km/h.



~~bbc.co.uk

[Lúthien Elanessë]

Indonesia Needs Help, Death Toll Expected To Exceed 400,000

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The death toll in Acheh, the region worst hit by last Sunday's tsunami, may exceed 400,000 as many affected areas could still not be reached for search and rescue operations, Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia Drs H. Rusdihardjo said Thursday.

He said the estimate was based on air surveillance by Indonesian authorities who found no signs of life in places like Meulaboh, Pulau Simeulue and Tapak Tuan while several islands off the west coast of Sumatera had "disappeared".

He said the latest death toll of more than 40,000 in Acheh and northern Sumatera did not take into account the figures from the other areas, especially in the west of the region.

"Aerial surveillance found the town of Meulaboh completely destroyed with only one buiding standing. The building, which belonged to the military, happens to be on a hill," he told reporters after receiving RM1 million in aid for Indonesia's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund here Thursday.

Rusdihardjo said there were about 150,000 residents in Meulaboh, which was located 150km from the epicentre of the earthquake while Pulau Simeuleu had a population of 76,000.

The contributions were from several corporate giants.

Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), represented by Chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, gave RM200,000; Guthrie, represented by Chief Executive Officer Datuk Abdul Wahab Maskan, gave RM200,000; Golden Hope Plantations Berhad, represented by Group Director for Corporate, Legal and Public Affairs Norlin Abdul Samad, gave RM200,000; Maybank, represented by Head of Public Affairs Wan Norhiyati Ibrahim, gave RM200,000 and Sime Darby Group's Motor Division, represented by Director Yip Jon Khiam, also gave RM200,000.

Ahmad Sarji also handed over a PNB contribution to Utusan's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund, which was received by Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Executive Chairman Tan Sri Hashim Makarudin to help Malaysian tsunami victims.

Ambassador Rusdihardjo said a combination of earthquake and tsunami had left 80 to 100 per cent of infrastructure in Acheh province, such as hospitals, health centres, transport and communication networks and homes, destroyed.

"Looking at the scale of destruction, it's difficult to say when the search and rescue operations can be mounted in all affected areas," he said.

He said rescue efforts were hampered by transportation difficulties and lack of fuel.

Rusdihardjo said that at this time international help, especially in the form of medicines, clean water, food and clothing, were desperately needed by Indonesia to aid survivors in Acheh.

"Now we are worried about the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, the work of disposing corpses and the absence of clean water following the contamination of water sources," he said.

It would take years before the situation returned to normal, he said, adding that the Indonesian government was not able to estimate losses caused by the tragedy as yet.

He expressed his gratitude to Malaysia's help although the country itself was hit with 66 lives lost so far and property to the tune of millions of ringgit destroyed.

"We are deeply touched," he said.

Rusdihardjo said Indonesia was also seeking Malaysia's cooperation to mount search and rescue operations from its shores because of the close proximity of the two countries.

-- Bernama.com

[Phil]

Rifkind calls Tories 'defective'[/u]
 
Sir Malcolm says the leadership contest is 'crucial'
The Tory Party has made no progress during eight years in opposition and is "deeply defective", leadership contender Sir Malcolm Rifkind has said.
The former foreign secretary told the Sunday Telegraph the party's third election defeat was "indefensible".

Sir Malcolm said the leadership battle when Michael Howard steps down this autumn would be crucial.

The party had a choice of continuing down its "cul-de-sac", or choosing an "alternative Conservative tradition."

"The next few months will decide whether we have a future," he said.

Sir Malcolm, who is firmly identified with the left of the Conservative Party, is now MP for Kensington and Chelsea after two terms out of the Commons.

  There is no excuse that is convincing as to why a party that has been in opposition for eight years should be flat-lining

Sir Malcolm Rifkind


Profile: Sir Malcolm Rifkind 

He outlined plans for a consultation on public services which he would launch immediately if he won.

Sir Malcolm, 59, who lost his Edinburgh Pentlands seat in Labour's 1997 landslide, said eight years out of Westminster had given him a unique perspective.

He said: "The last eight years have been deeply, deeply defective.

"There is no excuse that is convincing as to why a party that has been in opposition for eight years should be flat-lining.

"To have seen no increase in the share of the Conservative share of the vote, despite the intense unpopularity of the government, is indefensible."

Sir Malcolm criticised the focus on "classic right-wing Conservative issues" such as immigration, asylum, Europe, crime and tax.

Evidence showed that, with the exception of crime, these were not seen as "gut issues" facing the nation, he said.

"The fundamental strategy of the past eight years has been insensitive to the public mood," he said.

The BBC.

 

[Waelith]

 
Aftermath of Katrina


President George W Bush is addressing the US about the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.
It comes amid mounting political pressure over the way he and the government have handled the crisis.

Thousands of people across Louisiana and Mississippi are thought to have died in Monday's storm and flooding.

Large amounts of aid are now beginning to arrive in New Orleans, where tens of thousands - mainly from poorer black areas of the city - remain stranded.

Most of the city is under water. It is estimated that a million people have been left homeless across the Gulf coast.

The BBC's Adam Brookes in New Orleans says there is a new sense of purpose in the air, but this has not calmed the anger and frustration on the filthy streets, and the president is under great pressure to explain what many see as a huge failure of the country's emergency response system.

Mr Bush, who toured the area on Friday, has acknowledged that the initial response to the disaster was inadequate - but says progress is now being made.

He has signed off a $10.5bn emergency spending package approved by Congress.

Mr Bush usually pre-records his weekly radio address, and his decision to deliver the address live from the Rose Garden of the White House is being seen as a reflection of the pressure he is under.

Anger and frustration:

After five days of waiting, the people of New Orleans are getting greater supplies of desperately needed food, water and medicine.

 
Relief and pain in New Orleans as aid effort is stepped up
 

Troops have stockpiled supplies and distributed bottled water and ration packs at holding areas.

The army, coast guards and navy have been working around the clock to save those who are still stranded.

Most of the 20,000 people who took refuge in harrowing conditions at the Superdome sports stadium have now been rescued. About 2,000 remain there, and the authorities say they should be taken elsewhere within 24 hours.

"We thought they would let us die here," said Karen Marks, a 25-year-old woman who told of sleepless nights as the city slipped into anarchy, with armed gangs roaming shelters and flooded streets, looting, mugging and raping.

  We have hurricanes all the time. We had no idea it was going to be like this




'It can't get any worse'
Crisis shames Americans  :

Engineers say it will take many more days to drain the floodwaters from New Orleans.

People who have managed to get out have mainly gone to Houston in Texas and Baton Rouge in Louisiana.

Treasury Secretary John Snow has said that the financial impact of Hurricane Katrina may not be as bad as first feared and will not cause significant change in long-term prospects.

 
" The city of New Orleans will never be the same again"

Mayor Ray Nagin:

He described the impact of the storm as mind-boggling, but said that both he and the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, felt the inherent strength of the economy meant that growth would only be slowed for three to four months.

Pressure on America's oil and petrol supplies has been relieved by the International Energy Agency, which has agreed to release 60 million barrels from emergency supplies.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has thanked the many foreign governments who have offered aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

She said no offer had been turned down, and added that she had been particularly touched by the offer of $25,000 from Sri Lanka, which was devastated by last year's tsunami.


 (quoted from the BBC news front page: 3 Sept, 05)

[sunny]

Japan nuclear plant suffers malfunctions

By ERIC TALMADGE
Associated Press Writer
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AP Photo/Koji Sasahara
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Earthquake in Japan

KASHIWAZAKI, Japan (AP) -- More than a day after a powerful earthquake shook northern Japan, officials revealed Tuesday that a nuclear plant suffered a long list of problems including the leakage of radioactive water, an outbreak of fires and burst pipes.

The malfunctions at the Kashiwazaki power plant - and the delays in acknowledging them - are likely to feed concerns about the safety of Japan's 55 nuclear reactors, which supply 30 percent of the quake-prone country's electricity and have suffered a long string of accidents and cover-ups.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said a total of 50 cases of malfunctioning and trouble had been found at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant since Monday's magnitude 6.6 quake, which killed at least nine people and left 13,000 homeless.

The company said they were still inspecting the plant, which shut down automatically after the quake, and further problems could emerge.

Still, TEPCO spokesman Kensuke Takeuchi called the instances discovered so far "minor troubles" and said they posed no threat to people or the environment.

In five of the reactors, major exhaust pipes were knocked out of place and TEPCO was investigating whether they had leaked radioactive materials, the statement said.

TEPCO also said about 100 drums containing low-level nuclear waste fell at the plant during the quake and were found a day later, some of the lids open.

The company also said a small amount of radioactive materials cobalt-60 and chromium-51 had been emitted into the atmosphere from an exhaust stack. Monday's quake also initially caused a small fire at an electrical transformer in the sprawling plant.

Japan's nuclear power plants, which have suffered a string of accidents and cover-ups amid deep concerns they are vulnerable in earthquakes.

The Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's largest in terms of power output capacity, stands near the epicenter of Monday's magnitude 6.6 quake.

Monday's quake initially triggered a small fire at an electrical transformer in the sprawling plant. But it was announced 12 hours later that the temblor also caused a leak of water containing radioactive material.

Later Tuesday, TEPCO said a small amount of radioactive materials cobalt-60 and chromium-51 had been emitted into the atmosphere from an exhaust stack, but posed no danger to the environment. It was unclear if that leak was caused by the quake.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe criticized the delay in notifying the public.

"They raised the alert too late. I have sent stern instructions that such alerts must be raised seriously and swiftly," Abe told reporters in Tokyo. "Those involved should repent their actions."

Masanori Hamada, a professor of earthquake engineering at Tokyo's Waseda University, said the quake showed the government should push to increase the quake-resistance standards of its reactors.

"It's unthinkable that water leaks and fire could be triggered so easily," said Hamada. "TEPCO must provide a full explanation to the public."

The plant in Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, 135 miles northwest of Tokyo, eclipsed a nuclear power station in Canada's Ontario as the world's largest power station when it added its seventh reactor in 1997.

The Japanese plant, which generates 8.2 million kilowatts of electricity, has been plagued with mishaps. In 2001, a radioactive leak was found in the turbine room of one of the reactors.

The plant's safety record and its proximity to a fault line prompted nearby residents to file a series of lawsuits claiming that the government had failed to conduct sufficient safety reviews when it approved the plant's construction in the 1970s.

In 2005, a Tokyo court threw out a lawsuit filed by 33 residents, saying there was no error in the government safety reviews. The court also denied that the seismic fault under the plant could result in an accident during a major quake.

Nearly 13,000 people packed into evacuation centers such as schools and other secure buildings in the quake zone 160 miles northwest of Tokyo, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

Victims were largely concerned with securing enough food, water and shelter for the night, but some said the threat of a devastating nuclear accident was always at the back of their minds.

"Whenever there is an earthquake, the first thing we worry about is the nuclear plant. I worry about whether there will be a fire or something. We have no information, it's really frightening," said Kiyokazu Tsunajima, who spent the first night sleeping in his car, afraid an aftershock might collapse his damaged house.

The Defense Ministry dispatched 450 soldiers to the devastated area to clear rumble, search for any survivors under collapsed buildings and provide food, water and toilet facilities. People formed long lines to fill bottles with fresh water.

About 50,000 homes were without water and 35,000 were without gas as of Tuesday morning, local official Mitsugu Abe said. About 27,000 households were without power.

The Japanese Meteorological Agency put the initial quake's magnitude at 6.8, while the U.S. Geological Survey said it was 6.6. The quake, which hit the region at 10:13 a.m., was centered off the coast of Niigata, 160 miles northwest of Tokyo.

The area was plagued by a series of aftershocks, though there were no immediate reports of additional damage or injuries from the aftershocks.

Near midnight, Japan's Meteorological Agency said a 6.6-magnitude quake hit off the west coast, shaking wide areas of Japan, but it was unrelated to the Niigata quake to the north and there were no immediate reports of damage.

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