Killer Tsunami

Killer Waves

The killer earthquake and tsunami that hit the South and Southeast Asia last Sunday was one of the worst natural disasters that has fallen on mankind in the last 40 years. Not only did it ruin property, it also claimed the lives of many. As many as 24,000 lives were lost in the tragedy, with the number still potentially rising as many are still unaccounted for.

I have never felt this strongly about any natural disaster until this. Perhaps, the tsunami occurred way too near to us to be ignored. Not even the 911 incident fazed me as much as what happened on Sunday. If Singapore was unfortunately affected by the tsunami, we would have undoubtedly been washed out; literally.

We have seen numerous reports on the disaster thus far, I'm asking myself why did it have to affect the poor and helpless in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia? The areas affected consist of some of the poorest countries in the world where no means of advanced technology were available to help detect and warn people of the impending disaster. The closure of some of the international airports didn't help matters either. The state of Aceh, which could be the worst-hit area is ironically the most difficult area where relief can be extended due to several security reasons.

It happened to this part of the world last week and it could happen anywhere else in Europe, America, China or any other continents. Perhaps, the developed countries might have been able to handle the disaster better, given the advanced technology and intelligence units that might have been able to forewarn the people of the tsunami and could have evacuated the affected to higher ground that would have offered better safety ands ecurity.

It was as if a mammoth gash has occurred at the bottom of the seabed and its "blood" was spilled onto the land. Was it God's way of telling us that the earth is hurting and it's getting unbearable from all the abuses and exploitations of Man? We will never know.

Let's pray for the unfortunate victims, their families & the missing whom are still unaccounted for. Perhaps we should come together and collect a small sum of money for the disaster victims & pass it on to the Singapore Red Cross Society.