APCEDI ALERT EQ-SSEA #8, 2004: Series of Earthquakes and Tsunamis Devastate Wide Area of South and Southeast Asia

Updated Information and Death Tolls

The death tolls on Sumatra and Sri Lanka have risen dramatically overnight as information continues to come in as authorities and relief workers from more remote areas. Also deaths in the wake of the tsunamis in Africa have now been reported for Somalia, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Mauritius and Reunion. The following death toll information is 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, 23,000-27,174 dead, Death toll rates are highly variable and fluctuating at the moment. The BBC is reporting the higher figure, and this has according to BBC news reports been confirmed by the Government. With information coming in from affected villages of the Northwest Coast of Aceh Province south of Banda Aceh, this sort of death toll is quite probable and may even rise as more isolated areas are reached. Most casualties are in Aceh and Northern Sumatra Provinces.

Sri Lanka, 13,000-18,706 dead; Again Death toll rates are highly variable and fluctuating at the moment. The BBC is reporting the higher figure. 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, 7000-8000 dead as follows (Latest GOI figures):
Tamil Nadu; 3500-3700 dead with Chennai (Madras), Velankunni and Nagappattinam areas hardest hit,
Southern Andhra Pradesh, 80-100 dead, many hundreds still missing, Krishna , Guntur , Prakasam and Nellore Districts hardest hit.
Pondicherry enclaves 400-450 dead.
Southern Kerala 150 dead; Southern Districts including Alappuzha District hardest hit.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India 3000 dead, toll likely to rise as assessments are just beginning; severe to catastrophic damage throughout island chains.

Thailand, 1,400-1,600 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 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)

Maldives 60-70 dead; damage throughout country.

Malaysia, 44-53 dead, Most casualties in Penang and Coastal Kedah State in Northwest.

Bangladesh 2 dead; overall damage light.

Somalia Deutsche Presse Agentur is now reporting 100 dead in Somalia with the Puntland Coast hardest hit. News is coming in of damage from Kenya, Mauritius and the Seychelles islands but no reports of death as yet.

Madagascar 100 dead, reports just coming in from BBC.

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