Ray Garrison Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 When a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Tangshan, China at 3:42 a.m. on July 28, 1976, over a million people lay sleeping, unaware of the disaster that was to befall them. As the earth began to shake, a few people who were awake had the forethought to dive under a table or other heavy piece of furniture, but most were asleep and did not have time. The entire earthquake lasted approximately 14 to 16 seconds. Once the quake was over, the people who could, scrambled out into the open, only to see the entire city levelled. After an initial period of shock, the survivors began to dig through debris to answer the muffled calls for help as well as find loved ones still under rubble. As injured people were saved from under the rubble, they were lain on the side of the road. Many of the medical personnel were also trapped under debris or killed by the earthquake. The medical centers were destroyed as well as the roads to get there. Survivors were faced with no water, no food, and no electricity. All but one of the roads into Tangshan was undrivable. Unfortunately, relief workers accidentally clogged the one remaining road, leaving them and their supplies stuck for hours in the traffic jam. People needed help immediately; survivors could not wait for help to arrive. Survivors formed groups to dig for others. They set up medical areas where emergency procedures were conducted with the minimum of supplies. They searched for food and set up temporary shelters. Though 80 percent of the people trapped under rubble were saved, a 7.1 magnitude aftershock that hit in the afternoon of July 28 sealed the fate for many who had been waiting under the rubble for help. After the earthquake hit, 242,419 people lay dead or dying, along with another 164,581 people who were severely injured. In 7,218 households, all members of the family were killed by the earthquake. Corpses were buried quickly, usually close to the residences in which they perished. This later caused health problems, especially after it rained and the bodies were again exposed. Workers had to find these impromptu graves, dig up the bodies, and then move and rebury the corpses outside of the city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Currently, the 2004 South Asia tsunamis would have the highest fatality count for a tsunami event, surpassing a tsunami in 1896 that killed 27,000 people in Japan. Here is a list of the worst natural disasters in recorded history. 2004 - South Asia An earthquake causes tsunamis that hit Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Thailand and other South Asian nations. The death toll may reach 100,000. 2003 - Iran A 6.3 quake devastated the Iranian city of Bam, killing more than 50,000 people. 1999 - Venezuela The death toll is still unclear from the rain-caused landslides that hit Venezuela in mid-December 1999; official estimates are as high as 30,000 deaths. 1998 - Central America Hurricane Mitch devastates much of Honduras and Nicaragua in Central America. More than 10,000 people were killed and some 2 million left homeless as mudslides swept away whole villages. 1991 - Bangladesh Bangladesh lost more than 130,000 people in April 1991 from cyclone-induced flooding. 1990 - Iran An earthquake triggers a landslide, causing from 40,000 to 50,000 deaths in western Iran on June 20, 1990. 1988 - Armenia In 1988, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale devastates Armenia, killing over 100,000 people perished. 1985 - Colombia And a small eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia on November 13, 1985 leads to a massive mudflow that covers the city of Armero and kills more than 23,000 people. 1983 - Thailand Monsoons kill 10,000 people in Thailand over the course of three months in 1983. Some 100,000 people contracted waterborne diseases as a result of the storm. 1976 - China A deadly earthquake of a magnitude 8.0 strikes Tianjin, China, on July 27, 1976. The official casualty figure issued by the Chinese government was 255,000 people. 1970 - Bangladesh Bangladesh loses more than 300,000 people in November 1970 from cyclone-induced flooding. 1970 - Peru A magnitude 7.8 earthquake at Mount Huascaran, Peru, on May 21, 1970, causes a rock and snow avalanche that buries 2 towns, killing as many as 20,000 people. 1959 - China In July 1959, massive floods in China kill at least 2 million people. 1938 and 1939 - China Floods kill 1 million people in a two-year period in China. 1931 - China The massive flooding of the Yangtze River in China in 1931 caused more than 3 million deaths from flooding and starvation. 1902 - Martinique The eruption of Mont Pelée in Martinique, Lesser Antilles, in 1902, kills nearly 30,000 people. 1896 - Japan About 27,000 people drown following an earthquake-induced tsunami off the coast of Japan. 1887 - China In 1887, about 900,000 people died when the country's Yellow River burst its banks in the worst-ever recorded flooding. 1883 - Indonesia On August 26, Krakatoa, a small volcano on an uninhabited island between Sumatra and Java, explodes. The eruption and a tsunami kill 36,000 people in this Indonesian region. 1815 - Indonesia A volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora on Indonesia's Sumbawa island in 1815 kills than 90,000 people. 1780 - Caribbean "The Great Hurricane" hits the Caribbean in October 1780 and kills 22,000 people on the islands of Martinique, St. Eustatius, and Barbados. 1556 - China A quake hits the Chinese province of Shansi on February 2, 1556. It kills 830,000 people. 1201 - Mediterranean The deadliest earthquake in history kills approximately 1.1 million people in Egypt and Syria. Sources: Discovery Channel, U.S.G.S., BBC Initial tsunami relief aid - $35 million and counting Florida hurricane relief aid - $3.17 billion and counting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 thank goodness we have 100K+ trops in the area that will not be needed in a free, democratic Iraq... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 Death toll now ~120,000. Few people are saying death toll might be as high as 400,000 - there are who regions that are literally GONE, washed into the ocean (not even land left) This is NOT factoring diesease and other stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted December 31, 2004 Author Share Posted December 31, 2004 The death toll estimates are just that, estimates. There must be many tens of thousands of people still unaccounted for, who live in areas where communications are still down. There were about 7,000 Australians in this area when the Tsunami hit. At the moment there are about 10 Australians confirmed dead, with another 1,500 Australians still unaccounted for, with 40 people of whom grave fears are held. I believe those 40 people were actually in the areas where the Tsunami hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 Banda Aceh before and after images obtained from DigitalGlobe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 numbing, I am still trying to comprehend 9/11... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 We shouldn't really be bothered by the low amount of aid given by our federal government. When they give they are giving your money, not their own. There has already been more given to relief/aid/rescue agencies, and it was because people wanted to. Marvel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomer9911 Posted January 1, 2005 Share Posted January 1, 2005 truth, I have a friend I have known\worked with for 7 years, 95\02, always in contact, and he has been going to Phuket Thailand for 13 yrs straight, and not for sex. He part owns a diving Company there, and a wonderful human being. I have tried to contact him, phone lines are way packed, and according to his mother she hasn't heard a word...miss ya Bruce... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 Boomer, There's no telling how long it will be before it's sorted out. I really hate losing friends to things like this. There aren't enough hours in the day to pray for those going through what everyone there (and here) is facing, but I'll be lifting you and your friend up. Marvel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted January 3, 2005 Author Share Posted January 3, 2005 ---------------- On 1/1/2005 10:31:42 PM boomer9911 wrote: truth, I have a friend I have knownworked with for 7 years, 95, always in contact, and he has been going to Phuket Thailand for 13 yrs... I have tried to contact him, phone lines are way packed, and according to his mother she hasn't heard a word...miss ya Bruce... ---------------- I'm sorry to hear that, boomer. I hope he's okay. Communications are dreadful there. We can only stay positive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 boomer; There are thousands of miracles that have occured to save people and more to come. Hope generates allot of miracles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignorance_is_not_bliss Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 ---------------- On 12/29/2004 4:19:00 PM coda wrote: Initial tsunami relief aid - $35 million and counting Florida hurricane relief aid - $3.17 billion and counting ---------------- Actualy, upon watching msnbc last evening, they were discussing the absolute wrongness this administration has provoked by way of making this horrible disaster into a political debate of ethics. And the latest figures are U.S. Relief and Aid--$350 Million European Union-$30 milion Sandra Bullock (the actress)--$1 million Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 American private donations - $200 million plus ---------------- On 1/5/2005 12:25:23 AM ignorance_is_not_bliss wrote: Actualy, upon watching msnbc last evening, they were discussing the absolute wrongness this administration has provoked by way of making this horrible disaster into a political debate of ethics. And the latest figures are U.S. Relief and Aid--$350 Million European Union-$30 milion Sandra Bullock (the actress)--$1 million ---------------- 2nd inauguration - $40 million plus Iraq - $200 billion plus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 One thing though is there is one thing america can supply that other countries and the american people just cannot supply. The USS Abraham Lincoln is off the coast and is running vital helicopter drop offs in the areas where planes cannot land. Yes it is a shame america has given so far 350 million and florida recieves billions of dollars. But one thing to consider. The cost of living in america to the cost of living in those countries. In most of those countries making more then 1000 US dollars means you live privalaged. So 350 million does alot more then it would in america where the house boom recently made all these houses in florida that were moderate in cost to too expensive. Remember most of the people lost lived right on the beaches and were swept away. But have you watched the videos? notice that any stone or cement building was stable yet the other swept away. It is all relative to what is alot. Having a million dollars 50 years ago meant you are very rich. No they give that much in game shows. Back to my other point, America is giving vital helicopter runs that may be worth more then donations and money. What good is it if the donations of food and money cannot get to the destination? And BTW most of the roads are washed out and recently a airplane happened to hit a water buffalo on landing in the only airport in indonesia I think and skidded off the only runway in the airport forcing many planes to land elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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