NYT:
December 26, 2004
Quake, Tsunami Devastate Asia; Over 11, 300 Dead
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - One of the most powerful earthquakes in history hit Asia Sunday, unleashing a tsunami which devastated coastal areas of Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and tourist isles in Thailand, killing more than 11,300 people.
The tsunami, a menacing wall of water, wreaked death, chaos and destruction across southern Asia. Up to 30 feet high, the tsunami was triggered by an 8.9 magnitude underwater earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
``It was a terrible sight,'' Jayaram Jayalalithaa, chief minister of Tamil Nadu state, said after touring areas of India, where 3,000 people were killed. ``I could see dead bodies all around and the devastation is of colossal proportions.''
Emergency services struggled around the region popular with Western tourists flying east for Christmas sunshine. Some areas were totally unprepared and tourists found their holidays turned into disaster zones while anxious families at home awaited news.
In Sri Lanka, where the death toll reached 3,500, corpses floated in floodwaters, while thousands fled their homes and cars floated out to sea. Idyllic beaches were turned into fields of debris and destruction. Around 750,000 people were displaced.
``I think this is the worst-ever natural disaster in Sri Lanka,'' N.D. Hettiarachchi, director of the National Disaster Management Center, said of the effects of the earthquake, the worst for 40 years and the fifth biggest since 1900.
The worst-hit area appeared to be the tourist regions of the south and east where beach hotels were inundated or swept away.
Local media reported land mines sown during Sri Lanka's two decade civil war had been uprooted and spread by floods. Others used the mayhem to loot shops and houses, police said.
In Indonesia, where 4,422 were listed as killed, raging waters dragged villagers out to sea and tore children from their parents' arms.
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December 26, 2004
Quake, Tsunami Devastate Asia; Over 11, 300 Dead
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - One of the most powerful earthquakes in history hit Asia Sunday, unleashing a tsunami which devastated coastal areas of Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and tourist isles in Thailand, killing more than 11,300 people.
The tsunami, a menacing wall of water, wreaked death, chaos and destruction across southern Asia. Up to 30 feet high, the tsunami was triggered by an 8.9 magnitude underwater earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
``It was a terrible sight,'' Jayaram Jayalalithaa, chief minister of Tamil Nadu state, said after touring areas of India, where 3,000 people were killed. ``I could see dead bodies all around and the devastation is of colossal proportions.''
Emergency services struggled around the region popular with Western tourists flying east for Christmas sunshine. Some areas were totally unprepared and tourists found their holidays turned into disaster zones while anxious families at home awaited news.
In Sri Lanka, where the death toll reached 3,500, corpses floated in floodwaters, while thousands fled their homes and cars floated out to sea. Idyllic beaches were turned into fields of debris and destruction. Around 750,000 people were displaced.
``I think this is the worst-ever natural disaster in Sri Lanka,'' N.D. Hettiarachchi, director of the National Disaster Management Center, said of the effects of the earthquake, the worst for 40 years and the fifth biggest since 1900.
The worst-hit area appeared to be the tourist regions of the south and east where beach hotels were inundated or swept away.
Local media reported land mines sown during Sri Lanka's two decade civil war had been uprooted and spread by floods. Others used the mayhem to loot shops and houses, police said.
In Indonesia, where 4,422 were listed as killed, raging waters dragged villagers out to sea and tore children from their parents' arms.
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