Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Maldives loses 42 islands as tsunami toll hits 117 (Global Warming Alert)
Yahoo News ^ | 12/30/2004

Posted on 12/30/2004 7:51:01 AM PST by jazzo

MALE (AFP) - At least 42 islands in the tourist paradise of the Maldives were flattened with 117 people killed and missing after tsunamis raved the low-lying atoll nation, the president said.

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom said 75 people were killed while another 42 were confirmed missing in Sunday's devastating tidal waves that caused havoc in his nation of 1,192 coral islands.

"We were not in any way prepared to deal with this disaster," Gayoom told a special session of the national parliament. The toll could be higher as the authorities re-establish contact with far flung islands, he said on Thursday.

"Maldives may be able to build a new life from scratch with financial assistance, but dealing with the widespread personal tragedy and despair would not be easy," he said.

The tragedy struck the atoll nation of 330,000 Sunni Muslims which is already facing the prospect of extinction from sea level rise caused by global warming. Gayoom had warned that a one-meter (three foot four inch) rise in sea levels could submerge his country.

When walls of water washed over the Maldives, the nation lost all the infrastructure on 13 of its 202 inhabited islands while another 29 of the country's 85 resort islands suffered similar damage.

Each island is a single resort hotel with the geographical formation allowing the country to keep foreigners and the local Sunni Muslim population separate except in the one square mile capital island Male.

Foreigners are not allowed to overnight on islands inhabited by Maldivians and special permission is required to visit them.

Gayoom, 67, who is Asia's longest serving president in power since 1978, has already declared an emergency and put off parliamentary elections that were due Friday.

Voting has been re-scheduled for January 22, but officials said even that could be put off again as the country struggled to rebuild itself amid initial estimates that the damage was in excess of 1.5 billion dollars.

Gayoom said 9,000 people had been evacuated from damaged islands while another 12,000 were made homeless across the archipelago.

"There are shortcomings in the relief operations," he admitted but urged all Maldivians to unite in the face of the worst disaster to hit the nation and said they were also getting international help.

Officials said a total of six foreigners, three Britons, two Sri Lankans and one Indian were among those confirmed killed.

The Maldives was getting a shipment of drinking water from Britain Thursday, officials said.

Scottish Water was sending thousands of bottles in an aircraft that was flying in to pick up stranded tourists.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: maldives; maldivestsunami; sumatraquake
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-96 next last
To: shubi; Admin Moderator

Can you purge idiots like this? I think it stains the name of FR to have this type of crap posted that could very well be from a troll signup trying to make the site look bad by posting this garbage.


41 posted on 12/30/2004 8:35:26 AM PST by Rebelbase (Who is General Chat?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: jazzo
Each island is a single resort hotel with the geographical formation allowing the country to keep foreigners and the local Sunni Muslim population separate except in the one square mile capital island Male.

"Foreigners are not allowed to overnight on islands inhabited by Maldivians and special permission is required to visit them."

I believe that Israel has the same idea with their wall. Maybe we should do the same thing in Iraq and other places.

Where the hell is Osama and the rest of the Sunni rich guys.

This may be a good opportunity to send more of those sunni muslims from Iraq down there to rebuild their paradice.
42 posted on 12/30/2004 8:36:33 AM PST by OKIEDOC (LL THE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: shubi
We should not help them until they surrender to us.

I hope you are being sarcastic.

43 posted on 12/30/2004 8:37:51 AM PST by backhoe (-30-)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: jazzo

Enivronmentalist fearmongering nonsense.

The most credible reports on sea level rise state that we will not know for another 30 years whether or not sea levels are rising - at which time we will statistically be able to discern the relationship between sea level and local land levels.

OTOH - recent reports have noted that increases in atmospheric CO2 and warmer waters have accelerated the growth of coral.


44 posted on 12/30/2004 8:38:06 AM PST by kidd
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
Beautiful islands, so tragic. It sounds as if they had configured a way to have tourism and keep their native, ethnic and religious traditions without friction.

With the loss of so many islands, it's going to be a difficult challenge to keep tourism healthy and their citizens content.

45 posted on 12/30/2004 8:38:26 AM PST by bd476
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Zon
The Four Seasons Resort at Maldives. All the resorts are on similar low-level islands -- six feet above sea level


46 posted on 12/30/2004 8:40:50 AM PST by Zon (Honesty outlives the lie, spin and deception -- It always has -- It always will.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

All this global cooling is a result of global warming. Didn't you know? LoL!

Hopefully a few more big waves will sweep them to Muhammad's brothel in the afterlife.


47 posted on 12/30/2004 8:44:28 AM PST by Nuzcruizer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: TFine80
Foreigners are not allowed to overnight on islands inhabited by Maldivians...

So the tourists are segregated from the locals who happen to be Sunni Muslims? The offendi can bring their filthy money to support the unwashed masses of Allah, but they dare not step foot onto the turf of the Religion of Peace - heads would roll.

When politicos tell us that the majority of Muslims in the world are benign to us personally or to our culture, remember this article. The Koran, Hadith and the Prophet order the followers of Islam to slay or convert the infidel...

48 posted on 12/30/2004 8:48:42 AM PST by Thommas (The snout of the camel is in the tent...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: jazzo

I guess that means I can go out at low tide and claim a sand bar as my own "country".


49 posted on 12/30/2004 8:48:52 AM PST by WL-law
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jazzo

bump


50 posted on 12/30/2004 8:55:17 AM PST by VOA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

I agree.

All the pictures I've seen of the Maldives look great.

A truly peaceful, almost crime-free country. The peace and quiet on these islands must be great.

I wish they were closer to the US.


51 posted on 12/30/2004 8:58:58 AM PST by MplsSteve
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: jazzo

The tragedy struck the atoll nation of 330,000 Sunni Muslims<<

I hate to feel this way, but, looks like some definate good came out of this tsunami.


52 posted on 12/30/2004 9:00:05 AM PST by hushpad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

I have been appalled at just how little I knew about that area! I've been trying to catch up!


53 posted on 12/30/2004 9:00:47 AM PST by Howlin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Personal Responsibility
That is about the height of Galveston Island and the residents figured out after the 1900 storm that they needed a seawall. It took a few years but they built it. Maybe these people will do the same.
54 posted on 12/30/2004 9:09:54 AM PST by Ditter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Rebelbase
Can you purge idiots like this?

It's rampant all over the board. I see lots of new names with less-then three month old sign-up dates. Most will leave on their own when their Christmas vacation is over and/or when the free 90 days of AOL on their new computer runs out.

55 posted on 12/30/2004 9:13:31 AM PST by SC Swamp Fox (Aim small, miss small.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: backhoe

Like Patton, it is only for me to know when I am acting. ;-)


56 posted on 12/30/2004 9:16:30 AM PST by shubi (Peace through superior firepower.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

LOL and of couarse what do you need after dancing all nite while doing esctasy? WATER.


57 posted on 12/30/2004 9:38:56 AM PST by oceanperch (2005 is going to be an Awesome Year, IMO)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

Yes, it did. My daughter's bedroom is decorated in beach scene posters and dolphin pics. The beach scene posters are incredibly beautiful and nearly all were photographed in the Maldives.

Oh the other hand, the Tahiti pics in her room are equally as beautiful, maybe more so.


58 posted on 12/30/2004 10:13:36 AM PST by tuffydoodle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: jazzo
....already facing the prospect of extinction from sea level rise caused by global warming.

Sci-Fi...get a life lefties!!!

59 posted on 12/30/2004 10:16:32 AM PST by ThomasMore (Pax et bonum!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: shubi
>Midway is a secure government facility

... Midway Atoll was a naval base under the juristiction of Pacific Division, Naval Facilities Engineering command (PACNAVFACENGCOM).

The Department of the Navy (DoN) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on May 22, 1996, concerning the transfer of NAF Midway to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The Executive Order transferring legal enforcment authority to the USFWS was signed on October 31, 1996. The USFWS assumed custody of Midway Island when the transfer of MOU was signed, but operation of Midway did not change until the current Navy Base Operating Services (BOS) contract was completed on June 30, 1997, and the Navy left Midway.

Midway Atoll, formerly known as Naval Air Facility (NAF), Midway, is located 1,100 miles northwest of Oahu, Hawaii at the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago but is not part of the state of Hawaii. Midway Atoll consists of two main islands, Sand and Eastern, with several smaller islets. The operational facilities were located on Sand Island, which has an area of 1,201 acres. Eastern Island comprises 334 acres and has been uninhabited since 1970, although it was used extensively by the Navy prior to 1970.

...In 1999, in recognition of the atoll’s historical significance, Congress directed the Secretary of the Interior to develop Midway as a National Memorial and establish a preservation program for its historic military buildings and gun emplacements. This was to include interpretative displays and promotion of tourist visits.

Midway was closed to visitors in January, 2002. The abundant wildlife, sparkling white beaches and historical sites were just beginning to attract significant numbers of tourists when the USFWS closed the island to visitors. “The Fish and Wildlife Service appears to be doing a good job of protecting the atoll’s wildlife, but it is failing in its responsibility to develop the island as a National Memorial.”


60 posted on 12/30/2004 11:07:50 AM PST by theFIRMbss
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-96 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson