12-26-2004, 09:49 PM
Deaths Tolls Rise After Asia Quakes, Waves
24 minutes ago World - AP Asia
By The Associated Press
More than 8,000 people were reported dead across southern Asia and Africa after massive tsunami waves smashed coastlines following a magnitude 8.9 earthquake off the Indonesian coast Sunday morning.
A breakdown of the toll so far:
_ Sri Lanka: More than 3,000 people were killed, the country's top police official said; that number, however, does not include the 1,500 deaths reported by rebels who control part of the country. Massive tidal waves smash coastal villages.
_ India: Nearly 2,300 people died, officials said. The worst affected area was Tamil Nadu state, with 1,705 deaths. Huge waves left southern beaches strewn with bodies and flipped-over fishing boats and cars.
_ Indonesia: Almost 2,500 are reported dead, officials said. Towns were leveled and bodies wedged in trees by walls of water. Aceh province on Sumatra island — torn by separatist violence for years — was near the Indonesian quake's epicenter and was the hardest-hit part of the vast archipelago.
_ Thailand: Officials said 289 people died, 3,675 were injured and thousands were missing, mostly in idyllic southern islands packed with holiday revelers from around the world at the height of the tourist season. Swimmers were battered on coral reefs and sunbathers were swept out to sea.
_ Malaysia: At least 42 people, including an unknown number of foreign tourists, were dead, according to official reports. Tens of thousands were temporarily evacuated from hotels and apartments after the Indonesian quake was felt throughout peninsular Malaysia. No major damage was reported.
_ Bangladesh: After the Indonesian quake, a magnitude 7.36 temblor struck the southern port city of Chittagong. Tidal surges killed at least two children as a boat with about 15 tourists capsized. Reports said the quake was felt in the central, southern and western parts of the country, including the capital Dhaka.
_ Somalia: In this African country nearly 3,000 miles from the quake's epicenter, at least nine people were killed when a tidal wave destroyed homes, capsized boats and washed people out to sea, witnesses said.
24 minutes ago World - AP Asia
By The Associated Press
More than 8,000 people were reported dead across southern Asia and Africa after massive tsunami waves smashed coastlines following a magnitude 8.9 earthquake off the Indonesian coast Sunday morning.
A breakdown of the toll so far:
_ Sri Lanka: More than 3,000 people were killed, the country's top police official said; that number, however, does not include the 1,500 deaths reported by rebels who control part of the country. Massive tidal waves smash coastal villages.
_ India: Nearly 2,300 people died, officials said. The worst affected area was Tamil Nadu state, with 1,705 deaths. Huge waves left southern beaches strewn with bodies and flipped-over fishing boats and cars.
_ Indonesia: Almost 2,500 are reported dead, officials said. Towns were leveled and bodies wedged in trees by walls of water. Aceh province on Sumatra island — torn by separatist violence for years — was near the Indonesian quake's epicenter and was the hardest-hit part of the vast archipelago.
_ Thailand: Officials said 289 people died, 3,675 were injured and thousands were missing, mostly in idyllic southern islands packed with holiday revelers from around the world at the height of the tourist season. Swimmers were battered on coral reefs and sunbathers were swept out to sea.
_ Malaysia: At least 42 people, including an unknown number of foreign tourists, were dead, according to official reports. Tens of thousands were temporarily evacuated from hotels and apartments after the Indonesian quake was felt throughout peninsular Malaysia. No major damage was reported.
_ Bangladesh: After the Indonesian quake, a magnitude 7.36 temblor struck the southern port city of Chittagong. Tidal surges killed at least two children as a boat with about 15 tourists capsized. Reports said the quake was felt in the central, southern and western parts of the country, including the capital Dhaka.
_ Somalia: In this African country nearly 3,000 miles from the quake's epicenter, at least nine people were killed when a tidal wave destroyed homes, capsized boats and washed people out to sea, witnesses said.