[b]Tsunami Death Toll Rises 76,700 in Asia[/b]BANDA ACEH, Indonesia - Cargo planes touched down with aid Wednesday, bearing everything from lentils to water purifiers to help survivors facing the threat of epidemic after this week's quake-tsunami catastrophe. The first Indonesian military teams reached the devastated west coast of Sumatra island, finding thousands of bodies and increasing the death toll across 12 nations to more than 76,700.The international Red Cross warned that the toll could eventually surpass 100,000.Town after town along the Sumatran coast was covered with mud and sea water, with homes flattened or torn apart, an Associated Press reporter saw on a helicopter overflight with the military commander of the island's Aceh province. The only signs of life were a handful of villagers scavenging for food on the beach.Western Sumatra suffered a double blow in Sunday's disaster, shattered both by the most powerful earthquake in 40 years and perhaps the deadliest tsunami in recorded history, which wreaked destruction across a dozen nations.
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
My prayers are definitely with the christian survivors, but also the unbelievers -- that somehow, people will turn to the living God through all of this. Please join me in this prayer!
_________________Christopher
Here are great resources and links to sites that are being updated regularly on this issue:[b]Gospelcom.net Featured Resource | Dec 29, 2004Responding to the Earthquake Disaster[/b]http://www.gospelcom.net/content/disaster/
I just read that the U.S. is going to give $35 million to the victims in this disaster (it's going to cost billions upon billions) and also discovered that we are going to spend $40 million for a four day celebration on the presidental inauguration. This is an indictment of us as Americans and shows us where our priorities are.All I can say is to ask you pray that the Holy Spirit will search your heart and mine and we do whatever He tells us to.
_________________Ed Pugh
[b]Tsunami Death Toll Jumps Over 120,000[/b]BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - The mercilessness of Asia's tsunami grew clearer on Thursday as worst-hit Indonesia sharply raised its death toll, taking the number of fatalities around the whole Indian Ocean region above 120,000.Health Ministry sources told Reuters just under 80,000 had died in Indonesia's northern Aceh province that was close to the undersea quake, some 28,000 more than previously announced. Two sources said the toll would be officially announced soon.Aceh, already suffering a prolonged conflict, has emerged as the "ground zero" of Sunday's great earthquake just off its coast. It triggered monstrous waves all the way to Africa that killed thousands more in India, Thailand and elsewhere.Sri Lanka, severely afflicted, raised its toll on Thursday by just under 3,000 people to 27,268.