Death toll now estimated over 115,000.

[Ben E Lou]

Per CNN. Wow.

[KevinNU7]

It's going to go over 200k

[GrantDawg]

It's going to go over 200k
My wife read one expert saying he expected 400k+.

[sachmo71]

My wife read one expert saying he expected 400k+.


Man, they've got an expert for everything.

[GrantDawg]

Man, they've got an expert for everything.
Well, you know what an expert is? A former drip under pressure.

[Bubba Wheels]

Just saw an estimate of over 400,000. Can this be possible? Staggering.http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=111574

[GrantDawg]

Just saw an estimate of over 400,000. Can this be possible? Staggering.http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=111574
Article:

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

[Glengoyne]

Just saw an estimate of over 400,000. Can this be possible? Staggering.http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=111574
When I first heard of the disaster, I thought the death toll would approach 200k. In looking at the death tolls from Cyclones in the area 150,000 to 300,000 dead does not seem to be out of line with previous events. I'm not sure if those disaster's numbers also included the deaths from diseases like cholera. If this disaster does approach 400,000 killed without including deaths from disease then this disaster really is unprecedented in recent memory. I don't know what the death toll from Krakatoa was, but I'm not certain the areas were as populated then as they are now.

[stkelly52]

And remember that the article says that there could be 400,000 in Indonesia... this doesn't count all of the other countries.

[SackAttack]

At the risk of sounding unintentionally callous, given how populated that corner of the world is, I'd be surprised if the death toll *weren't* at least 300,000 when all is said and done.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

When I first heard of the disaster, I thought the death toll would approach 200k. In looking at the death tolls from Cyclones in the area 150,000 to 300,000 dead does not seem to be out of line with previous events. I'm not sure if those disaster's numbers also included the deaths from diseases like cholera. If this disaster does approach 400,000 killed without including deaths from disease then this disaster really is unprecedented in recent memory. I don't know what the death toll from Krakatoa was, but I'm not certain the areas were as populated then as they are now.

If I can remember correctly Krakata claimed about 150,000.

[Kosta]

11 Australians confirmed dead, around 1000 still unaccounted for. Here are the numbers for major European countries:

Austria: Five Austrians confirmed dead, 55 are missing. At least 1500 Austrians were in the affected area.

Belgium: Four Belgians, including two babies, have been killed. About 20 are still missing.

Britain: Twenty-six Britons have died. On Monday, officials said 50 teachers in Sri Lanka were unaccounted for.

Croatia: The three-year-old daughter of a Croatian-Dutch couple was killed in Thailand. Nine Croatian nationals are unaccounted for.

Denmark: Three Danish citizens - a man, 71, a man, 63, and a 10-year-old boy - are reported dead in Phuket. Thirteen Danes still listed as missing around Phuket are presumed dead.

Finland: Two Finns have died. About 2000 are believed to have been in the affected areas.

France: At least 20 French nationals are confirmed dead. Hundreds are unaccounted for.

Germany: At least 26 Germans are confirmed dead and about 1000 are missing. At least 4000 Germans are believed to have been on holiday in the region when the quake struck.

Greece: About 20 are still unaccounted for.

Hungary: About two dozen are unaccounted for in Thailand.

Ireland: Dozens are unaccounted for across the region.

Italy: At least 14 Italians have been killed. About 100 are missing.

The Netherlands: At least five Dutch nationals have died.

Norway: Thirteen people are dead and 446 unaccounted for in Thailand.

Poland: One man has been killed and 56 are missing.

Portugal: Eight Portuguese are missing, including a baby who was swept out of her mother's arms.

Romania: Two on Phuket earlier reported missing were found safe at their hotel.

Russia: A 33-year-old Moscow woman and her six-year-old son were killed on Phuket. About 50 other Russians are missing.

Spain: One person is missing, presumed dead, after being swept away. Others are missing.

Sweden: About 1000 tourists are still unaccounted for. Six are confirmed dead.

Switzerland: At least 11 have been killed. About 2200 are believed to have been holidaying in the region.

Turkey: Seventy-five people remain unaccounted for.

[stevew]

Hard to believe a town of over 150K could be completely gone.

[JW]

I'll raise you to a million. And that would not surprise me one bit.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/975541.cms

[DaddyTorgo]

that's INSANE. i'm literally speechless just at the...idea of this

[Easy Mac]

.002% of the world population is gone.

You have to wonder if this will be thought of in the future the way we think of Pompeii or other disasters from so many years ago.

[stevew]

Maybe this is what happened to atlantis?

[Mac Howard]

It would certainly explain the flood myths that you find in many cultures.

[JonInMiddleGA]

You have to wonder if this will be thought of in the future the way we think of Pompeii or other disasters from so many years ago.

Again, I'm not looking to diminish the current tragedy at all, but I'm becoming almost fascinated by the reaction to it.

Besides the 100 worst list I posted earlier, here's just a couple of examples that seem comparable

http://www.emergency-management.net/cyclone.htm
1967 October 12th. India, State of Orissa: massive cyclone struck the rural state consisting of small villages; basically all life (human and animal) and each structure was wiped out; the precise number of fatalities and destruction is unknown.

1970 November 12-13th., East Pakistan: cyclone and tidal waves killed 200,000 and another 100,000 were resported missing

Yet until this current incident sent me looking for comparables, I'd never heard of the 1967 one & have maybe, just maybe, the tiniest recollection of ever hearing of the 1970 one. Or massive floods like 1876 Bengal: 215,000 people died, 3,100 square miles were flooded or 1887 October China: Yellow River in Huayan Kou flooded, estimated 900,000 people died

Yet we're wondering (and you aren't alone on this) whether the 2004 tragedy will go down in history like Pompeii? Maybe it will, but why it & not any of the other examples?

Is it the exponential difference in the media coverage? The fact that it's something "now" as opposed to before most of us were born? Something else? Whatever it is, it doesn't appear to be just the mind-boggling numbers involved here, those have happened quite a few times before even if we don't know the details of them.

I'm not picking on you EM, I swear I'm not, it's just that this phenomenon has really started to intrigue me quite a bit over the past couple of days.

[vex]

If it reaches 1 million +, that makes all but the Yellow River look miniscule.

[GrantDawg]

[GrantDawg]

Is it the exponential difference in the media coverage? The fact that it's something "now" as opposed to before most of us were born? Something else? Whatever it is, it doesn't appear to be just the mind-boggling numbers involved here, those have happened quite a few times before even if we don't know the details of them.

I'm not picking on you EM, I swear I'm not, it's just that this phenomenon has really started to intrigue me quite a bit over the past couple of days.
Yes, it is the fact that we have the mass media coverage (and internet) that can put us closer to the people affected than ever before.

[SunDancer]

A million I can't even picture. Would just be even more sad as each person dies.