Times have changed. Apparently people drowned in their hotel rooms. Tourism is the main industry on the island, and employs thousands of Thai workers.
A tsunami alert system would probably not have helped - there was only about an hour between the time the earthquake hit and the tsunami reaching Batong Beach. Phuket just does not have the resources to shift that many people that quickly. Neither does San Francisco, come to think of it.
And I'm sure it's even worse in Sri Lanka and India, which do not have the kind of infrastructure a wel--established tourist place like Phuket has.
Nobody expects a tidal wave.
Update: Phuket.com's Hotel Status Page lists which hotels are open, closed, partially functioning.
I'm posting this list of aid agencies, for those who wish to help.
From: Carolyn Nickels <carolynnickels@earthlink.net>
To: Friends of Thailand
Dear Friend of Thailand,
There is not a lot to say. Though many of you may already have this
information, following is a partial list of organizations involved with
relief efforts resulting from Sunday's catastrophe in South and Southeast
Asia. Toll-free numbers and/or web sites where donations can be made are
included.
Action Against Hunger
www.aah-usa.org
America Jewish World Service
NY, NY
800.889.7146
www.ajws.org
American Friends Service Committee
Philadelphia, PA
www.afsc,org
Catholic Relief Services
Baltimore, MD
800.736.3467
www.catholicrelief.org
Direct Relief International
Santa Barbara, CA
www.directrelief.org
Doctors Without Borders
NY, NY
888.392.0392
www.doctorswithoutborders.org
International Medical Corps
Santa Monica, CA
800.481.4462
www.imcworldwide.org
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Geneva, Switzerland
www.ifrc.org
International Orthodox Christian Charities
Baltimore, MD
www.iocc.org
Lutheran World Relief
Baltimore, MD
800.597.5972
www.lwr.org
MAP International
Brunswick, GA
800.225.8550
www.map.org
Mercy Corps
Portland, OR
800.852.2100
www.mercycorps.org
Northwest Medical Teams
Portland, OR
www.nwmedicalteams.org
Operation USA
Los Angeles, CA
800.678.7255
www.opusa.org
Relief International
Los Angeles, CA
800.572.3332
www.ri.org
Save the Children Asia Earthquake/Tidal Wave Relief Fund
Westport, CT
800.728.3843
www.savethechildren.org
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization
Cumberland, MD
www.trousa.org
US Fund for UNICEF
NY, NY
800.367.5437
www.unicefusa.org
World Concern
Seattle, WA
800.755.5022
www.worldconcern.org
World Relief
Baltimore, MD
www.wr.org
World Vision
Tacoma, WA
888.562.4453
www.worldvision.org
