The great tragedy

News of a large earthquake in the ocean off the coast of Sumatra two days ago, causing a vast series of tsunamis that struck Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and even as far as Somalia, three thousand miles away.

I keep wondering about the people on Balobaloang. The island is protected from the force of the earthquake and tsunamis by Sumatra, Java and other land masses, but I wonder about how the sudden displacement of Sumatra affected the oceans on the other side of Indonesia. Surely they experienced very high tides; I hope none of the boats or, God forbid, houses were damaged. I am afraid for them, but have no way to find out, the island is so remote.

I keep feeling there’s something I should do. But there’s really nothing at all, only pray and grieve, and perhaps donate a few dollars – such a small amount in the face of such an immense tragedy.

But why have aid agencies or governments not set up tsunami warning buoys, as Japan and the West US coast have? Does the rest of the world bear partial responsibility for this loss of life, because we could have set up warning systems and did not?