Monday, December 27, 2004
2:29 PM
Tidal waves kill thousands across Asia
COLOMBO (Sri Lanka) - Rescuers scoured waterlogged coasts across Asia on Monday after an earthquake of epic power struck below the Indian Ocean and sent huge walls of water crashing onto beaches in eight countries, killing more than 13,300 people and leaving millions homeless.
The death toll along southern shores of Asia - and as far west as Somalia on the African coast, where nine were reported killed - increased steadily as authorities sorted out a far-flung disaster caused by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake, the world's strongest in 40 years.
The earthquake hit at 6.58am (0058 GMT) on Sunday off the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The tsunami came as much as 2 1/2 hours later, without warning, on a morning of crystal blue skies.
The US Geological Survey said the quake's magnitude was 9.0 - the strongest since a 9.2 magnitude temblor in Alaska in 1964, and the fourth-largest in a century.
Travelling at nearly jetliner speeds, the first huge waves began pummelling southern Thailand an hour after the quake. In 2 1/2 hours, the torrents had travelled some 1,600km and slammed India and Sri Lanka. They eventually struck Somalia.
Sri Lanka - an island nation some 1,600km west of the epicentre - had a death toll of at least 6,090, with 4,590 reported killed in government-controlled areas and at least 1,500 in Tamil rebel-controlled territory. At least a million people have been driven from their homes.
Maldives-Maldives, a low-lying string of 1,192 coral atolls, reported 32 people killed. Power was cut by the rushing waters.
Indonesia-Towns in Indonesia's Aceh province on Sumatra, the closest land to the earthquake's epicentre, were swamped by the waves. The Health Ministry said at least 4,448 people were killed in Indonesia, hundreds missing and a million left homeless. A reporter for The Associated Press saw bodies wedged into trees in one village, apparently left there by receding waters.
In Thailand, a government disaster centre said 430 people were killed and more than 4,100 injured.
In India, the waves swept away boats, homes and vehicles, killing at least 2,284 people - most of the victims in Tamil Nadu state, officials said. At least 20,000 people were evacuated, officials said.
In Malaysia, at least 48 people, including foreign tourists swimming or riding jetskis, were killed on the resort island of Penang, officials said.
In Myanmar, 12 people died when tidal waves collapsed a bridge on the southern tip of the country, fishing industry officials said on Monday.
Bangladesh-Two people were killed in Bangladesh.
Wow. Finally a script tat will give Hollywood directors a run for their money.
Lets hope it end soon.
