Monday, April 02, 2007

Solomon Islands hit by earthquake and tsunami


I wonder if the US NAVY will be called in to bring in supplies?
The surging waters that plowed through Gizo and surrounding villages on Monday morning were triggered by a massive sub-sea earthquake that set off tsunami alarms from Tokyo to Hawaii and that closed beaches more than 1,250 miles away.

Thirteen people died, and the toll was expected to rise, officials said.

In Australia, beaches along the entire eastern coast were closed and lifeguards with bullhorns yelled at surfers to get out of the water at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach.

The danger passed quickly, but officials rejected suggestions that they overreacted, saying it was better to be safe than sorry and that the emergency tested procedures put in place after the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster that left 230,000 dead or missing in a dozen countries.

In the Solomons, up to 4,000 people were encamped Monday night on a hill behind Gizo, a town of about 7,000, said Alex Lokopio, premier of Western Province that was hardest hit. Floodwaters had subsided, but most government buildings and many houses were wrecked, and people were too scared to return to the coast.

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