Understanding the Natural Disasters in South Asia
On December 26, 2004 , the world changed for many living in Asia , as an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale rumbled in the Indian Ocean , spawning deadly waves that crashed ashore in dozens of countries. The loss of life is horrific, while the level of destruction is almost incomprehensible. As the world organizes to send relief to the hardest hit areas, educators in the US need to inform students of the events and their aftermath.
What happened in the early morning hours of December 26, 2004?
Far below the ocean floor, and 100 miles from the west coast of Indonesia 's Sumatra Island , the India and Burma tectonic plates moved, causing a severe earthquake. The displacement of water from the quake set off giant waves known as tsunamis. The tsunamis that formed traveled across the Indian Ocean at speeds reaching 500 miles per hour. As they neared land they became slower, yet the speed was transferred to height as waves as large as 30 feet tall crashed the shores of over 10 countries in Asia and Africa . The greatest destruction was in the countries of Bangladesh , India , Indonesia , Kenya , Malaysia , Maldives , Myanmar , Seychelles , Somalia , Sri Lanka , Tanzania , and Thailand . The waves hit on a sunny Sunday morning as unsuspecting people carried out their daily activities. As of January 4 th the death toll has surpassed 150,000, with thousands still missing. Indonesia alone is reporting over 90,000 lives lost. Many children have been left orphans, while parents still search for their children. Many of those who died or are missing in Thailand are European tourists on holiday in Asia.
Helping Children Understand
Save the Children has developed a list of 10 tips for parents, grandparents, and teachers on how to best help children cope with disaster. Even though American children are thousands of miles away from the disaster, they are aware that something horrible has happened. The list was created in response to the events of 9/11, yet the recommendations are appropriate in supporting students through the recent crisis. The list is available at: http://www.savethechildren.org/emergencies/asia_top_ten_tips_kids.asp?HpTrackingID=84&Stationpub=hp_ten_tips_kids
What now?
Officials and relief agency representatives are working around the clock to bury the dead and to help with the immediate needs of those left injured and homeless. Refugee camps are being set up in most of the countries as temporary shelter, food, and other supplies are being flown into the effected areas. Concern is centered on preventing the spread of disease, which is almost imminent in the aftermath of such a natural disaster. The following chart is a summary of what is expected.
Resources
Below is a list of web resources that can help educators of all grade levels learn more of the devastating events and how to best educate our students.
Ask Asia http://www.askasia.org/tsunami/index.htm Ask Asia has prepared a special report with teaching and learning activities. Included are maps, statistics, lesson plans, ways students can help, and links to additional resources.
CNN “After the Tsunami” Special Report http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/tsunami.disaster/ A special report dedicated to information regarding the deadly tsunami including latest reports, resources, interactive/multimedia resources, and eyewitness accounts.
CNN Student News http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/fyi/index.html Teachers can either tape the show which airs in the middle of the night or view the segments online. The current unit focuses on the tsunami, facts and figures, and relief efforts. Some segments have discussion questions and learning activities.
DiscoverySchool.com http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/earthsci.html The Lesson Plan Library lists lesson plans on Earth Sciences. The lessons are divided by grade level and include lessons on tsunamis and earthquakes.
PBS NewsHour Extra http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec04/tsunami_12-30.html This is a special report from NewsHour on the tsunami that includes an article written for classroom use. Follow the link “How to use this story in the classroom” for initiating questions, reading comprehension questions, and discussion activities.
PBS “The Savage Earth” http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageearth/index.html
Although having premiered in 1998, The Savage Earth Series provides students and teachers with background information and images of the Earth's seismic activity. This information can be used to better explain the events of December 26, 2004 .
Save the Children http://www.savethechildren.org
Save the Children has announced that they will be releasing a student kit in the US for educators to use in their classrooms with information and resources about the tsunami crisis . Keep checking their website for updates. A school fund raising kit has already been released.
US Geological Survey Earthquake Program Hazards http://earthquake.usgs.gov/ Information on worldwide earthquake activity, earthquake science, and earthquake hazard reduction. For information directly related to the earthquake of December 26 visit: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqinthenews/2004/usslav/ . In addition, there is a new searchable database called Learning Links to help educators find classroom information, activities, and lessons about earthquakes: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/index.php and a Kids Only page at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/4kids/ .
How to help?
Saving the lives of those that survived and rebuilding several nations will take years and millions of dollars. The best thing that can be done to help those in need is to donate money to one of the many relief organizations assisting the countries affected. Below are several agencies accepting donations.
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS |
|
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE |
|
SAMARITAN'S PURSE |