SUmatran earthquake and tidal wave news

Reporting on BBC here in Asia suggests that destruction is pretty bad
all around the Indian Ocean. Tidal waves have wiped out big parts of
Sri Lanka, 1500 miles from the epicenter of the quake. Little news yet
from the Maldives, which are only about one meter above sea level.
Even the Thai and Malaysian resorts and seacoast areas have experience
massive damage.

It probably will be a few days before we know the full extent of the
damage, but all indications are that this is one of the greatest
natural disasters of the last few decades.

JR

JR wrote:
> Reporting on BBC here in Asia suggests that destruction is pretty bad
> all around the Indian Ocean. Tidal waves have wiped out big parts of
> Sri Lanka, 1500 miles from the epicenter of the quake. Little news
yet
> from the Maldives, which are only about one meter above sea level.
> Even the Thai and Malaysian resorts and seacoast areas have
experience
> massive damage.
>
> It probably will be a few days before we know the full extent of the
> damage, but all indications are that this is one of the greatest
> natural disasters of the last few decades.
>
> JR
Agreed - have spent time in the areas affected - the hardest hit part
of Sri Lanka (the Eastern side of the island nation) has not reported
in yet - big damage on the western side south of Colombo. Also the
Maldive islands are heavily populated and those places have little or
no communication with either the capital Male or the outside world -
lots of tourists from Western Europe there now - this will speed up
relief assuming their only airport on Male can be repaired quickly.

Also little information about the north coast of Sumatra - one can only
imagine how much of a disaster this thing will be in the end. A lovely
part of the planet - too bad. Now maybe the sunami alert system will
be installed by the governments in this area. An hours alert would
dramatically reduce the loss of life.