Original satellite photos courtesy of Digital Globe.

Tsunami -- Understanding and Helping

Web resources to aid in understanding the recent tragedy.

By Clayton Dube

Information on the Natural Disaster and the Ensuing Crisis

The organizations below have produced useful information on the December 26, 2004 earthquake and tsunami that devastated several South and Southeast Asian nations. The initial death toll has been estimated at perhaps 150,000, but millions have been left injured, orphaned, homeless, jobless, and hungry. Basic water, nutrition, sanitation, and medical needs are not being met.

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Asian Governments

• Indonesia
• India (Press Information Bureau)
• Maldives
• Singapore (crises/emergencies)
• Sri Lanka (donations)
• Thailand

Asian Newspapers

• Bangkok Post
• Daily News
• The Indian Express
• Jakarta Post
• Straits Times
• Times of India

News Aggregators

• Google News
• Yahoo News

British Broadcasting Company

• Text/Audio coverage
• Reports submitted via the web

New York Times

• Crisis Coverage/Photo Essays
• Asia's Deadly Waves (interactive flash animation)

United Nations

• Response/News/Video
• Relief Web -- South Asia News (variety of sources, including the Agence France-Presse, Christian Science Monitor and state news agencies)
• UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

United States Government
National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration

• NOAA and the Indian Ocean Tsunami
• Tsunami FAQs
• Animation showing the movement of the tsunami across the Indian Ocean (requires Quicktime, free download)
• US AID (information about humanitarian efforts, guide to individual giving)

World Health Organization

• News and Situation Reports
• Online donations

World Bank

• Press Releases

Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters

• Emergency Disasters Database

Center for International Disaster Information

• South Asia Tsunami Page
• Home Page

Images and Maps

• Digital Globe
• Perry-Castenada Library (University of Texas)
• Space Imaging

Blogs

• Tsunami Help

AsiaMedia

• AsiaMedia front page
• special coverage: Sri Lanka, Plate's Pacific Perspectives

Published: Sunday, January 02, 2005