Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Paradise Lost

For the second time this year, the image of a sun-kissed, palm tree shaded coral island has been shattered by a natural disaster. Our sympathies go out to the many people suffering at the moment around the Indian Ocean as a result of the huge undersea seismic disturbance off the coast of Sumatra. You can donate online from the many links here.

furthermore...

Back in early September the news that the Cayman Islands had been struck by an enormously powerful hurricane and removed the roofs of many buildings was very depressing news for me as I had visited Grand Cayman in 1998 and had fond memories of staying in a beach side house, which has been reported as suffering substantial damage. Here you will find a report on the damage on Cayman. Of course this was nothing in comparison to the loss of life around the Indian Ocean, but still the image, typically expressed in those travel brochures, is tarnished with the idea that the sea can rise up and wash it all away. We spent 2 weeks on the Seychelles in 2002 and I was worried that they may have been effected. I have read that 3 deaths occured but can find no information on the Seychelles nation news site about it. It seems that they have lost a road bridge, but what of Praslin and the other islands? I am interested in the Cocos / Keeling Islands in the Indian Ocean and they are very near to the origin of this disaster. No news is being reported although I read that the US Indian Ocean base at Diego Garcia is unscathed by the tidal wave.