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December 31, 2004

T'land: Four Thousand Bodies Found In Phangna Alone

Topics: Southeast Asia Earthquake and Tsunami

Bernama.com (Malaysian National News Agency) December 31, 2004 16:23 PM

PHANGNA, Dec 31 (Bernama) - The death toll from the tidal wave disaster in the South continued escalating while Phangna alone reported the figure at 4,000, the Thai News Agency (TNA) reported Friday, quoting Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suvit Khunkitti.

The minister was quoted as saying more than 20,000 tourists were vacationing in the tsunami-hit Khao Lak of Phangna last Sunday when the deadly waves smashed the scenic coastal town.

  Suvit has been assigned to supervise rescue works in this southern province.

More volunteers would be needed to help search for more bodies, TNA quoted Suvit as saying, adding that the Public Health Ministry has set up a one-stop service center inside a building near Yanyao Temple to facilitate rescue operations.

He added that the Public Health Ministry was working on measures to prevent the spread of diseases which should be under control.

Update (cudo Drudge):  KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The death toll in Acheh, the region worst hit by last Sunday's tsunami, may exceed 400,000 as many affected areas could still not be reached for search and rescue operations, Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia Drs H. Rusdihardjo said Thursday.

He said the estimate was based on air surveillance by Indonesian authorities who found no signs of life in places like Meulaboh, Pulau Simeulue and Tapak Tuan while several islands off the west coast of Sumatera had "disappeared".

He said the latest death toll of more than 40,000 in Acheh and northern Sumatera did not take into account the figures from the other areas, especially in the west of the region.

"Aerial surveillance found the town of Meulaboh completely destroyed with only one buiding standing. The building, which belonged to the military, happens to be on a hill," he told reporters after receiving RM1 million in aid for Indonesia's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund here Thursday.

Rusdihardjo said there were about 150,000 residents in Meulaboh, which was located 150km from the epicentre of the earthquake while Pulau Simeuleu had a population of 76,000.

-- BERNAMA

Posted by Hyscience at December 31, 2004 2:17 PM

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