Information session helps Rice community understand tsunami tragedy in South Asia

Information session helps Rice community understand tsunami tragedy in South Asia

Images by DigitalGlobe

Before and after images taken by satellite of South Asia illustrate well the unimaginable destruction caused by last month’s tsunami. The above shots of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, show the extensive shoreline erosion and destruction of buildings.

BY JENNIFER EVANS
Rice News staff

Approximately 15 percent of Rice’s international student and scholar population hails from the areas in South Asia affected by last month’s tsunami. Fortunately, none of those students were physically affected by the disaster that took more than 200,000 lives — but many were emotionally affected.

As the tragedy slowly creeps out of the headlines, several Rice students wanted to make sure the victims are not forgotten. To that end, members of the Rice International Student Association and Rice for Peace, with the support of the Office of International Students and Scholars, last week hosted an information session on the disaster and ongoing relief efforts.

Discussing the scientific aspects of the disaster, Professor of Earth Science Dale Sawyer presented an overview of the geological events that caused the tsunami while Professor of Physics and Astronomy Patricia Reiff showed stunning before-and-after satellite images of the hardest-hit areas.

Harder to digest is the human toll, which representatives from the Red Cross, UNICEF and four of the affected countries — Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India — discussed.

Davis Henderson, chief executive officer of the Greater Houston Chapter of the Red Cross, said the response from Houstonians has been amazing, with the Red Cross having received more than $200 million toward its goal of raising $400 million. These funds will be sent to the affected areas for local agencies to provide food, water, vaccinations to prevent disease, family supplies and mental health counseling, he said.

Photo by Jeff Fitlow

Students, faculty and staff honor the memory of the tsunami victims at a candlelight vigil hosted by the Leaders for Change, South Asian Society, Rice Student Volunteers Program and the Rice Philharmonics Society.

Each representative of the South Asian countries thanked the Rice community and Americans in general for the outpouring of generosity and gave the latest tallies of dead, missing and presumed dead, orphaned children and homeless in their respective countries.

Among the nearly unfathomable toll is an estimated 75 percent of one city in Sumatra, Indonesia. Eddy Poerwana, consul general of Indonesia, said that in that city of 20,000 people, only 4,000 survivors had been found. The UNICEF representative said that it would not be surprising if entire age groups had been wiped out in some locations.

A candlelight vigil to remember the victims followed the discussion. It was hosted by the Leaders for Change, South Asian Society, Rice Student Volunteers Program and the Rice Philharmonics Society.

Henderson urged people to remember that the survivors will continue to need support well into the future, likely for several years. He encouraged donations to the Red Cross, but noted that if people can’t give money, they can volunteer time to help others right here in Houston. “We are a global village after all,” he said.