Most Powerful Quake in 40 Years Triggers Death and Destruction (3)

1 Name: Unverified Source 04/12/26(Sun)21:27 ID:Heaven [Del]

BANGKOK, Dec. 26 - The most powerful earthquake in 40 years struck south Asia this morning, triggering tsunamis that smashed into villages, resorts and tourist isles, killing thousands and leaving hundreds missing. Sri Lanka and India were hit hardest as the tsunamis, some 30 feet high, washed away fishermen, tourists, cars and beachside stalls.

The earthquake, which generated tidal surges that could be felt as far away as Africa, hit at 6:58 a.m. local time about 100 miles off the northern Indonesian island of Sumatra. It measured 8.9 on the Richter scale, which made it the largest in the world since 1964 and the fifth largest since 1900, according to the National Earthquake Information Center at the United States Geological Survey.

Officials in Sri Lanka said that more than 3,500 people were killed and Indian officials said nearly 3,000 died, according to the Reuters news agency. Indonesian officials said that more than 2,500 died, while the death toll reached 310 in Thailand and 42 in Malaysia.

"Nothing like this has ever happened in our country before," Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand said in a televised address.

Millions have been affected by the destruction, officials said, with people fleeing their homes for higher ground, fearing aftershocks that could send more waves to strike the islands and beaches. The death toll could rise considerably as information comes in from remote islands and beach resorts, and the fate of those missing, including the hundreds of fishermen at sea, becomes apparent.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/26/international/asia/26cnd-quak.html

2 Name: Unverified Source 04/12/27(Mon)13:13 ID:Heaven [Del]

> nytimes.com

(freeloginrequired)

3 Name: Unverified Source 04/12/27(Mon)15:23 ID:Heaven [Del]

Yeah, sorry about that. It worked when I was refered over from Google but forgot about that. Anyways: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=asia+earthquake&btnG=Search+News

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