Its staggering, really is they just reported 57,000 dead now and thousands stil missing, its uncomprehensible really the enormity of it. Looking round our own home stuffed full of people, food, objects it really does bring it home here how lucky we are but also how volatile life is, it could happen here, cyclone or similar makes you think.

Like someone else said all you can really do is donate money, we have so much excess stuff we wanted to dontate but nobody wants it, the air costs are too much its money they need. Lets hope everyone gives as much as they can afford.

I just have to say how shocking all this news is , my husband and I this time last year were counting down the weeks to our wedding, which was held in Sri Lanka on Valentines Day. We are now so sad to think ofo the lossess these wonderfully friendly and proud people are now suffering. It ws bad enough to see the areas of poverty that we found in feb but to even try to imagine what they are going through now. At this time of year when we are all thinking and being with our families - our hearts go out to all those who have suufered this Christmas (most of the Sri Lankans' are catholoic and so would have been celebrating as the majority of other Christians)

As stated previosly hopefully we can all give something!

Charlie & Family

Downer pledges warning system

Quakes travel faster through rock than through water. Epicentres and magnitude of quakes are already routinely determined with adequate accuracy within an hour and readily available on the internet for free.

I have found it difficult to get my head round the figures and the scale of the disaster but two local football matches put it into perspective for me.......Manchester City played this afternoon/ United were playing tonight, I think........each of those stadiums will hold the number of people expected to have been lost. Truly, truly horrendous. All thoughts are with those people out there.....may medical aid and services get to them soon with the help of all our donations.
Barbara

Sad story in today's paper about a family from Perth who's baby was lost. He was ripped out of his father's arms by the wave. Terribly sad story.

Recent quakes:

This is so sad, and just after Christmas. Makes you greatful that your kids are near. I saw a report on the news a little while ago, said the island of Sumatra was actually moved and the earth's rotation was jolted so that the horrible day was made shorter than it should have been. Really scary.

That is scary and awful

I saw a report on Sky news that a group of islands - populated by 76,000 people was seen to be completely swamped with water when an aide agency flew over it - no sign of life.

So very sad, and a reminder of the power of forces beyond our control.
Let us all protect that which we can have some control over and start to respect this planet more.

Cas

Was that the Andamans and the Nicobars? They were right in the path of the tidal wave.

Not sure Tony, caught the report part way through.

Apparently these systems are not in place in the Indian Ocean and surrounding is because in the past all the relevant governments have decided that it would be too expensive to put in place. Misguided yes, but bearing in mind how poor some of these countries are, had they spent that money, they would have been slated for wasting money because you can never prove how many people and their properties would had been saved. Absolute nightmare.

I just hope that most of the people booked to go out there in the next year still go depending on whether their accommodation is still there. They may not have the idyllic holiday they were hoping for but they will be helping the tourism trade and economy.

Good grief..apparently the earth's axis actually moved

-Becs