(no subject)
Relatives Grateful Family Escapes Deadly Tsunamis
Couple, Two Children Visiting Thailand During Disaster
UPDATED: 6:04 PM EST December 27, 2004
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- Relatives and friends of a Portsmouth family of four expressed relief Monday that the family escaped the devastation of tsunamis that killed thousands in South Asia.
Bill and Susan McClure and their two young daughters left in July for a yearlong trip around the world. They were in Thailand when a massive earthquake on Sunday sent walls of water toward several countries in the region.
Family and friends of the McClures knew they were safe after receiving a quick e-mail from Bill McClure. They said they don't know the details, but they are glad the family escaped harm.
It was a very brief e-mail, but he had found Susan, they had found a place not in bad shape," said Andrew McClure, Bill McClure's brother. "They're with the girls. They are OK."
For two days, all that their loved ones knew was that Bill McClure was missing -- he had gone scuba diving that morning -- while Susan McClure and their daughters, Morgan and Lily, were on the beach.
Susan McClure called Andrew McClure two days ago to say she couldn't find her husband.
"She basically said they had run for their lives," he said. "They were in a beachfront resort, and they had to run from a tidal wave at the time."
The McClures have been chronicling their adventures on the trip in the Portsmouth Herald every week. Friends said they don't know if the McClures will return home or continue.
"I think it's totally up to them," family friend Robin Najar said. "I can see them continuing on."
The McClures arrived in Thailand several days ago. Their next scheduled stop is India, and relatives said they are anxiously awaiting the next e-mail or phone call.
Officials said nearly 24,000 people died in the tsunamis throughout nine countries in South Asia. An international relief effort is taking form and is expected to cost billions of dollars.
Copyright 2004 by TheWMURChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
So 52,000 people are dead. Who cares?
I agree with the frustration I've been seeing on people's journals lately--especially Diddy, Nat, Paige, Val and others. The apathy is alarming. This is not getting anywhere near the amount of attention it deserves. When it is actually covered, the media tries to personalize it by talking about how many Americans dead. For example:
"U.S. officials said Monday that eight Americans were among the dead. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told CNN Tuesday morning that 11 Americans were confirmed dead." (taken from theWMURchannel.com...according to Fox, the number of Americans dead is now 12)
What about the tens of thousands of locals? The entire villages that were wiped out? As Diddy said, the death toll is now more than twenty times that of 9/11.
I appreciated the irony in Nat's entry about the many Australians who went to Phuket for vacation because Bali was considered "unsafe." I also liked this comment Shamebear left on her journal:
"...There was also a sort of warning in that the water receded dramatically from the shore moments before the wave hit. That's what it does before a tsunami, but the people didn't know and walked out to pick up stranded fish. :-("
But seriously. People. Priorities. Come on now.
Couple, Two Children Visiting Thailand During Disaster
UPDATED: 6:04 PM EST December 27, 2004
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- Relatives and friends of a Portsmouth family of four expressed relief Monday that the family escaped the devastation of tsunamis that killed thousands in South Asia.
Bill and Susan McClure and their two young daughters left in July for a yearlong trip around the world. They were in Thailand when a massive earthquake on Sunday sent walls of water toward several countries in the region.
Family and friends of the McClures knew they were safe after receiving a quick e-mail from Bill McClure. They said they don't know the details, but they are glad the family escaped harm.
It was a very brief e-mail, but he had found Susan, they had found a place not in bad shape," said Andrew McClure, Bill McClure's brother. "They're with the girls. They are OK."
For two days, all that their loved ones knew was that Bill McClure was missing -- he had gone scuba diving that morning -- while Susan McClure and their daughters, Morgan and Lily, were on the beach.
Susan McClure called Andrew McClure two days ago to say she couldn't find her husband.
"She basically said they had run for their lives," he said. "They were in a beachfront resort, and they had to run from a tidal wave at the time."
The McClures have been chronicling their adventures on the trip in the Portsmouth Herald every week. Friends said they don't know if the McClures will return home or continue.
"I think it's totally up to them," family friend Robin Najar said. "I can see them continuing on."
The McClures arrived in Thailand several days ago. Their next scheduled stop is India, and relatives said they are anxiously awaiting the next e-mail or phone call.
Officials said nearly 24,000 people died in the tsunamis throughout nine countries in South Asia. An international relief effort is taking form and is expected to cost billions of dollars.
Copyright 2004 by TheWMURChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
So 52,000 people are dead. Who cares?
I agree with the frustration I've been seeing on people's journals lately--especially Diddy, Nat, Paige, Val and others. The apathy is alarming. This is not getting anywhere near the amount of attention it deserves. When it is actually covered, the media tries to personalize it by talking about how many Americans dead. For example:
"U.S. officials said Monday that eight Americans were among the dead. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told CNN Tuesday morning that 11 Americans were confirmed dead." (taken from theWMURchannel.com...according to Fox, the number of Americans dead is now 12)
What about the tens of thousands of locals? The entire villages that were wiped out? As Diddy said, the death toll is now more than twenty times that of 9/11.
I appreciated the irony in Nat's entry about the many Australians who went to Phuket for vacation because Bali was considered "unsafe." I also liked this comment Shamebear left on her journal:
"...There was also a sort of warning in that the water receded dramatically from the shore moments before the wave hit. That's what it does before a tsunami, but the people didn't know and walked out to pick up stranded fish. :-("
But seriously. People. Priorities. Come on now.