General Chat

So am I, Bob. Dilys

Let us remember the great sadness and heartbreak all over the World and pray that their traumas will eventually be alleviated and they can rebuild their shattered lives. Dilys

It seems that the ordinary people on this little island of ours have donated more money than any other nation towards the relief. I am proud to be British.

I contacted a friend yesterday who comes from Indonesia with all her family living out there. Luckily they are all OK and in another region but it still took until yesterday for her to make contact with them due to communications being down. So all those waiting to hear from people, bear that in mind and keep hoping. Jacky :-)

The death toll now exceeds 50,000 of which 43 are British. http://news.bbc(.)co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4131437.stm Do hope all your friends and relatives are safe. max xx

My wifes brother is somewhere in the vast region affected by the Tsunamis on holiday with his wife. Because both ourselves and his son are ex-directory ,in our case B.T. said get in touch with the Police. Having explained the problem our Police Force representative replied " Get someone to find out for you and words to similar effect". Obviously this was impossible otherwise we would not have needed help. We then used the emergency number and,naturally had to wait some 20 mins. before a coordinator attended to us . We received the finest attention the young lady said she was just starting a 12 hour shift. When we were given a reference number it was almost 17000 ,when his wifes details had been entered onto the computer a furher 45 names had been added to the list of missing people, approximately 45 mins later. If my brother-in-law's son had done the same thing because we are exdirectory then the time taken up with 2 reports is ridiculous simply because B.T. could not get their operator to make a call to anumber they knew and ask if the receipiant wouldaccept a call from so and so. We were paying for the call in the first place. Its about time the powers that be examined their regulations again. our situation must have been duplicated many times over.. My next epistle will be to B.T. and the Telephones watchdog. We await news with bated breath. Rupert Bear.

The Island you are refering to Jim is La Palma, which is one of the Canary Islands. America would be severley affected if this Island did split, as would other parts of the Canaries and possibly part or Madeira would be hit. We have had confirmation that our friends in India are safe, although they did experience very high water, they were protected by Sri Lanka. Ros.

I have just seen it on the News. We so much take Nature for granted, but when she is roused it makes us realise how vulnerable we really are. I saw a TV programme some while ago about a volcanic Island in the Atlantic, it may have been Madeira, which is splitting in half. The next eruption, which is now overdue, could send half of it slipping into the Ocean and we could see similar scenes here on the South Coast. My prayers go out to all those who have lost loved ones. What a tragedy.

So many dead it is terrible. Heard that a west Australian baby was swept from her parents arms and is dead. I look at my grandchildren and I am crying. I know people from the school I work at were going on holidays in Indonesia also. School goes back in February. So will not know till then if all are safe. Pam

I found out yesterday that our neighbours are out there; David's brother, who's looking after the house and animals, has told my hubby that they're still waiting for news. Any news. Sounds so dramatic, doesn't it, but it's awful not knowing if our neighbours are OK. Glenys. (If anyone answers my reply and I don't respond, I'm just off downstairs for some food!) x

Those little children playing on the beach, when that huge wave hit, people's homes demolished, after losing their relatives, the threat of diseases........it is too big to take on board. God Bless all the survivors and bereaved families all over the World. Dilys

My friends are Sri Lankans, they live about an hour from Colombo at Mount Lavinia. Have spoken to them several times and thankfully all the family are safe. There are thousands that aren't. Apparently it is horrendous and they've been warned of further shocks still to come over the next day or two. I'm going out there on 29th if there are any flights into Colombo. J

The manager in my daughter's office has family in Thailand. His son, daughter in law and young baby. My daughter is very worried. M.

My step daughter lives in Sri Lanka and goes to the east coast (the worst hit) every Christmas, but thank god, this year they decided to have a change and go up into the hills. We heard this morning that she and her family are ok and she thinks their house will be ok, but wont know for certain until they return tomorrow as she lives in Colombo. Her main worry is she does not know if her friends, who also go to the east coast for christmas, are ok. What a terrible tragedy and so many lives lost.

My brother and his partner thought they would get away from it all this year and spent Christmas day paddling in the indian ocean on the Maldives - he managed to call home this morning, he's a bit wet under foot but okay. Thank god.

Hard to imagine that number, thousands, and their lives wiped out. I have friends who were recently in Phuket. My niece should be travelling soon to southern India to work during her gap year. It brings it home a little. RIP. Joy

This is a big worry in our house, as parents and sister of step-son's girlfriend are in southern India. They are staying with us over Xmas and she is awaiting email or phone call (which could be difficult as no doubt communications are affected). We are all hoping and praying they are OK.

Please dont take this the wrong way, but a tragedy like this......one cough, and the earth does this........and we are supposed to combat global warming?

Isn't it terrible? It always hits the poorest countries too, so many more will die because there are so few resources and services to help them. Wasn't there an earthquake in Iran (Bam?) at Christmas last year?

There are more than 7000 reported dead already: Sri Lanka: 3,225 dead Indonesia: 2,200 dead India: 2,000 dead Thailand: 257 dead Malaysia: 28 dead Maldives: 10 dead Bangladesh: 2 dead