Xeni Jardin:

Image: Screencap of TV coverage in Bangkok, Buddhist monks chanting for the souls of those who died in the disaster. At present, the international death toll stands at nearly 24,000. Ron Morris in Thailand says, “Since the first tremor from the Sumatran quake was felt in Bangkok over 36 hours ago, we have been blogging the latest news about the disaster. Includes screen grabs from Thai TV and links to locals who took photos of the wreckage after the tidal waves.” Link

Cameron Sinclair of the nonprofit group Architecture For Humanity tells BoingBoing, “Two members of the WorldChanging.org… crew live close by the Tsumani disaster and are reporting on whats going on: Link. As for reconstruction issues, a page is being set up at Architecture for Humanity to cover this: Link.”

Here is a photoblog maintained by a man named Fred in Sri Lanka, with snapshots of the destruction in Jaffna, where he lives and works: Link. Here’s another Sri Lankan blog maintained by “Zeus”: Link. See also this livejournal maintained by a man named Ernest who was in Phuket when the

…excerpt from: www.boingboing.net…

Xeni Jardin:

Rohit Gupta writes:

The picture here is taken from the southernmost tip of India, where until today there were hundreds of tourists trapped at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, off the coast of Kanyakumari district. In an amazing display of humanitarian collaboration and bravery, the local fishermen saved roughly 500 of the 600 trapped people, while the role of relief agencies was severely limited by the breakdown of communications and bad weather. Even as I write this, most local media can only offer conflicting figures. Link.

A majority of the deceased from the mainland were local fishermen who had gone out in the sea, to net their nightly catch. Throughout the day and night, and the following day, small boats and catamarans, perhaps too small to brave the violent sea, were plying up and down the strait that divides the island from the Indian mainland. While the Indian Air Force kept dropping food and medical supplies, it is the fishermen who’ve kept the Kanyakumari death toll (524) as low as it is. Most of the saved were not locals, but tourists, including a Supreme Court judge. There were no riots or cases of civic indiscipline reported in that district, nor in any other part of India, during the rescue efforts. Thankfully, the Indian media has taken due note of the effort. Also, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India, has offered extensive aid to Sri Lanka, and at least four Indian Navy

…excerpt from: www.boingboing.net…

Xeni Jardin:
On his website, author and inventor Sir Arthur C. Clarke — who lives in Sri Lanka — says:

Thank you for your concern about my safety in the wake of Sunday�s devastating tidal wave. I am enormously relieved that my family and household have escaped the ravages of the sea that suddenly invaded most parts of coastal Sri Lanka, leaving a trail of destruction.

But many others were not so fortunate. For hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans and an unknown number of foreign tourists, the day after Christmas turned out to be a living nightmare reminiscent of The Day After Tomorrow.

Link to complete text of message (thanks, Brian), and link to Wikipedia entry on Sir Arthur Clarke.
…excerpt from: www.boingboing.net…