http://start.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20041227/41cf96d0_3421_1334520041227545747800
Asian Disaster May Be Costliest Ever
December 27, 2004 2:11 PM EST
UNITED NATIONS - The earthquake and tidal wave that raced from southeast Asia to east Africa this weekend, killing tens of thousands of people, may be the costliest disaster in history, reaching billions of dollars, the U.N. emergency relief coordinator said Monday.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed, injured or are missing and millions more have had their lives shattered in the disaster, Undersecretary-General Jan Egeland said.
The tidal wave was not the biggest in recorded history "but the effects may be the biggest ever because many more people live in exposed areas than ever before" because of the population explosion in countries around the Indian Ocean during the last 50 years, he said.
The disaster probably will cost "many billions of dollars," he said.
Egeland, who also is in charge of emergency relief, said "an enormous relief effort is on its way" to the affected countries.
"We may only know the full effects of this tremendous emergency in weeks from now," Egeland said, noting that "more and more disasters" are being uncovered as rescue officials reach new places.
Many areas, especially in Sumatra, Indonesia, which was closest to the epicenter, are not yet accessible and the United Nations has not been able to contact its staff on the island, he said.
"The first wave has already brought tens of thousands of casualties in death, in wounded and in missing. Many of the missing we can presume are dead," Egeland said.
It doesn't say in the article, but the earthquake was a 9.0.
Asian Disaster May Be Costliest Ever
December 27, 2004 2:11 PM EST
UNITED NATIONS - The earthquake and tidal wave that raced from southeast Asia to east Africa this weekend, killing tens of thousands of people, may be the costliest disaster in history, reaching billions of dollars, the U.N. emergency relief coordinator said Monday.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed, injured or are missing and millions more have had their lives shattered in the disaster, Undersecretary-General Jan Egeland said.
The tidal wave was not the biggest in recorded history "but the effects may be the biggest ever because many more people live in exposed areas than ever before" because of the population explosion in countries around the Indian Ocean during the last 50 years, he said.
The disaster probably will cost "many billions of dollars," he said.
Egeland, who also is in charge of emergency relief, said "an enormous relief effort is on its way" to the affected countries.
"We may only know the full effects of this tremendous emergency in weeks from now," Egeland said, noting that "more and more disasters" are being uncovered as rescue officials reach new places.
Many areas, especially in Sumatra, Indonesia, which was closest to the epicenter, are not yet accessible and the United Nations has not been able to contact its staff on the island, he said.
"The first wave has already brought tens of thousands of casualties in death, in wounded and in missing. Many of the missing we can presume are dead," Egeland said.
It doesn't say in the article, but the earthquake was a 9.0.
