APCEDI ALERT EQ-SSEA #10, 2004: Series of Earthquakes and Tsunamis Devastate Wide Area of South and Southeast Asia

Updated Information and Death Tolls

Death tolls continue to climb in Sumatra's Aceh Province where the full scale of the disaster is finally being revealed as more remote areas are now being accessed. Death tolls in other nations are still increasing but more moderately. With such a disaster, it is now clear that the final death tolls will never be fully known as many bodies would have been washed to sea or buried deep in debris in remote areas.

However, the following figures provide a good basic source of information. These figures are from five primary sources: OCHA, USAID, BBC, Agence France-Presse and the Indian Government. These figures reflect the averages being provided by the above sources.

Sumatra and off shore islands, 79,940 dead, Death toll rates are highly variable at the moment but the overall trend is unfortunetly upward. With information coming in from affected villages of the Northwest Coast of Aceh Province south of Banda Aceh, the toll has risen dramatically. The town of Meulaboh and others south of Banda Aceh have finally been reached by relief workers and media, and these towns were found to be almost completely destroyed. Aceh Province has about 90% of the casualties with Northern Sumatra Province with 10%.

Sri Lanka, 25,000-27,268 dead; 483,991 displaced persons, 8,602 injured, and 4,028 missing (OCHA). Again Death toll rates are highly variable but are beginning to slowly stabilise. Highest casualty rates are from the East Coast cities of Trincomalee and Batticaloa and the South Coast cities of Hambantota and Galle. Affected Areas Map

INDIA, 7200-8000 dead; 3000 plus missing as follows (Latest GOI figures):
Tamil Nadu; 6202 dead; hundreds still missing Chennai (Madras), Velankunni and Nagappattinam areas hardest hit,
Southern Andhra Pradesh, 106 dead, 22 missing; Krishna , Guntur , Prakasam and Nellore Districts hardest hit.
Pondicherry enclaves 548 dead;
Southern Kerala 168 dead; Southern Districts including Kollam, Alleppy and Alappuzha Districts hardest hit.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India 712 dead, 3000 missing, 5677 displaced; toll likely to rise as missing are not found; severe to catastrophic damage throughout island chains. Car Nicobar and Great Nicobar Islands particularly hard hit.

Thailand, 4,510 dead, most casualties from Phuket and Phi Phi Islands and along the peninsular west coast including Krabi area. Especially hard hit on Phuket Island was Khao Lak National Park and surrounding beaches which had many resort hotels destroyed and also had many campers and more rustic style coastal hostels.

Burma, 90-100 dead, most damage in the Irrawaddy Delta and coastal towns of the Tenassarim Peninsula; 36 deaths reported in Pyinzalu Island near Labutta town and another 20 from the Thanintharyi Division in the peninsula. The Government is now reporting that 17 villages have been completely destroyed, and as such they expect the death toll to significantly increase (AFP). Apparently there is widespread devastation on the Co Co Islands but teams area just reaching there, plus also casualties now reported from Rakhine State. (AFP). Burma's death toll has not been officially raised in the last 2 days, and many scientists and aid groups are now claiming the state of devastation in affected areas is far greater than being admitted. They are pressing the Burmese Government for full details.

Maldives 67 dead; 61 missing; damage throughout country.

Malaysia, 65 dead, 50 missing, Most casualties in Penang and Coastal Kedah State in Northwest.

Bangladesh 2 dead; overall damage light.

Somalia 120 dead, 35 missing, 50,000 homeless with the majority of destruction along the Puntland Coast and on Hafun Island.

Madagascar 100 dead or missing in and around the coastal city of Manakara, and 1,200 homeless. A Red Cross Mission left today from the capital, Atananarivo, to investigate the situation and care for injured and homeless. Updates can be found from the Madagascar Tribune

Tanzania10 dead.

Seychelles 3 dead.

Kenya 1 dead.

Many of these figures will still continue to rise as reports from outlying and cut-off areas eventually come in.

Very good updates on relief efforts can be found on UN's Relief Web.

Kevin Vang
APCEDI Coordinator
http://www.afap.org/
AFAP Appeal Hotline: 1-800-007-308