APCEDI ALERT EQ-SSEA #9, 2004: Series of Earthquakes and Tsunamis Devastate Wide Area of South and Southeast Asia

Updated Information and Death Tolls

Death tolls continue to climb especially in Sumatra's Aceh Province where the full scale of the disaster is finally being revealed as more remote areas are now being accessed. 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, 32,490-45,268 dead, Death toll rates are highly variable and fluctuating at the moment. 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 has finally been reached by relief workers and media and was found to be almost completely destroyed. Aceh Province has about 90% of the casualties with Northern Sumatra Province with about 10%.

Sri Lanka, 22,493 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, 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. Car Nicobar and Great Nicobar Islands particularly hard hit.

Thailand, 1,829 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)

Maldives 64 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 110 dead with the Puntland Coast hardest hit along with Hafun Island.

Madagascar 100 dead in and around from 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