"Maybe we should collect donations and get Zorbs for households in the tsunami hit areas. We'll put them in glass cases with "In case of tsunami, please break glass" signs. That way, if another tsunami comes along, they'll be able to float about until someone finds them."

On 26/12, I was sleeping soundly, afterall it is holiday season. However, somewhere beneath the waves of Indian Ocean, half an inch thrust up after massive pressure from two crust ramming each other. An undersea earthquake erupted, creating massive force ejection resulting in tidal waves as high as 3-4 storey building slamming into packed coastal areas nearby.

Perdictably, I was awaken by unsual shaking but thinking it is fault of construction nearby my area, I went back to sleep soundly. 6 hours later, much to my chagrin and unqualified horror.....the news is relentless and understating the horror. It kept me captivated for 2 hours, as the news began to sink into me. Then, I check the Net, and I began to realise one of the worst tragedy has happened right before my comfort zone. It is now ranked amongst like Tangshan Earthquake 1979 and Bhola Typhoon 1970 as the worst natural disaster(s) ever in Asia. Morbidly, it is 1 year after devastating earthquake in Bam, Iran that killed 20,000 people. For perspective, 1995 Kansai Earthquake that destroyed Kobe, Japan measured in 7.2 Richter scale. Tangshan is 7.9. This one is 9 but some experts believe it is 9.3. The force is twice the entire tonnage of World War 2 explosions including the atomic bombs. 

The toll now stands at 180,000 death minimum. Some scientist rated it as high as 260,000 deaths, as late as Febuary 2005, 500 bodies discovered in a day at Acheh is a norm.  

when i first know about this incident, i felt horrible, horried, and felt sorry about this disaster, a total of 180000 of death, and some sciencetist estimated the figure will be more than that. suddenly had this urge of flying to acheh and help, but think is always much more beautiful than doing it out. the oni thing i can do, is supporting them financially. at least i got to donate a dozen packs of rice, some medication, and some clothing.. although i know wat they need is more than this, but this is all the best i can do to help them. since the incident, i felt that life is so short, u can live a great life today, but the next day, one wave came , and gone. everything... the lost of your home, the lost of your properties, and what makes our heart breaks is the lost of their love one. it is so terrible, even myself, can fell their pain. i lost the one i loved before, even one makes me so heart broken, i could never imagine, those who lost their entire family in just one night.. and wat come worse, is they mayb cant c their love one for the last time, even cant find their bodies too.. how horrible it is....
so wat i have learnt from this disaster is, appreciate life, appreciate your loves one, tell them how muhc u love them evelitime u got the chance, cauz u nvr know wat may comes tomorrow..

   For us to say that the tsunami was a terrible thing to happen would be an understatement. The tsunami was the one single biggest catastrophe to hit the asian region and claimed more lives than what we could ever predict.
   As for me, it was an eye-opener as to what nature is capable of doing. We, as humans, thought to be the most intelligent lifeform on this planet, the most advanced race with technology at our fingertips, humbled and utterly decimated by a sweeping wave of mother nature's hand. The devastation was at once a testimonial of mother nature's fury and a poignant reminder of our own mortality.

   In the wake of the tsunami incident which hit the asian region, the main focus of the media has been the people affected by the catastrophe, the extent of the damage, and the huge effort needed to rebuild all that was lost. However, I felt that the people who were important in the rebuilding and relief efforts were the doctors and nurses who are on the spot, taking care of the tsunami survivors.
   Why do i say this? The main reason for my stand is because the mother of a friend of mine was stationed there for a few weeks to help out with the relief efforts. To her, the time spent there was like a nightmare. Bodies were strewn everywhere, the stench overwhelming. For her to work round the clock to attend to the survivors were stressful, if not heartwrenching.
   It is with this in mind that i pray that the people who sacrificed their time, sweat and tears in their efforts to help rebuild what was lost will be honoured and the people who lost their lives will be remembered.

This is my tsunami experience. No, I was not in any of the affected areas when the massive tsunami occurred. The date was the 26^th of Dec 2004, it seemed like a beautiful Sunday morning and I was fasted asleep safely at home. It was then I was disturbed by an unusual trembling. I was soon forced awaken to see who was disrupting my beauty sleep. I then ask my bro what he was doing, thinking that he was up to one of his antics, as we were sharing the same room.

He was equally as blur as I was. I wanted to get out of bed to further my investigation but it was then the trembling stopped. Well I was extremely sleepy that I though nothing of it and continued my slumber. Later that day, and by later n mean at noon, I finally woke up satisfied with the amount of sleep I have taken, it was then I found out about the tragic that has befallen the nation of Aceh. I was surprised and shock by the destructive aftermath, but what was more surprising is that I actually felt the earthquake.

Just imaging how powerful was that earthquake to have send shockwave all the way to Malaysia, which have never been affected by earthquake, or so we have been taught by our Geography teachers back in high school. Well my experience may not be much compared to those in the affected areas but this is my personal experience. If any of you have a personal tsunami experience or just want to comment on tsunami related issues that you want to share with us and everybody else, feel free to contact us.

By the way, I believe the tsunami has taught us a very valuable lesson; it is to appreciate those around us as life is short and fragile yet filled with lots of beautiful things and people whom love us. And to everyone affected by this sudden attack, you have my deepest sympathy and condolences.

I suppose this is the final entry of this small project that created out of accidental meeting of fate and enforcement of destiny against our will in specific 5 members of group, thanks to some playful Mother Nature who decided to remind us how puny we humans are compared to her power. Gaia has spoken and we got crushed in her watery embrace of doom, and sadly majority of victim are females. (Oxfam, 2005) Final tally is impossible, but guesstimate is around 300,000 people. The political war in Acheh is abated somewhat, since they right now the international spotlight thought might not be intended by GAAM or Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono government. In 6 years time, I perdict there will be a major Hollywood blockbuster starring some handsome American acted as one of the victim of the tsunami and subsequent US Marines SAR operations which is essentially a PR campaign after shithole in Iraq. Yeap, it will be a replay of Blackhawk Down, and all other nationality got sideline as Americans seen as crusaders of secular humanism against merciless onslaught of Gaia in PMS mode. Now it is becoming a distant memory to most of people, and most of the global inhabitants will shove it somewhere as historical footnote as they pursuing their selfish dreams. The world still spins as someone I knew said, and it is true. But lives still lost, how ephemeral it is, does it matter if the world keep spinning. Who knows.

I shall conclude this post by saluting the people who went there without question to help another fellow humans out of jam, no matter what nationality, job or anything. Even Collin Powell, hero of Desert Storm 1991-92, is stunned by the ferocity of destruction.