Devastating earthquake in Indonesia spreads like fury to regional countries

oh dear... Was at Jurong Point just now having a gathering with my primary school pals when Annie called and told me that there was a serious earthquake in Aceh that measured 8.9 and it had caused tsunamis all around the region, hitting the coastal towns most badly... I turned on the news to BBC when i reached home and the devastation is tremendous... Logged on to the news online and so many are dead in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Thailand.... Nicobar and Andaman Islands and Malaysia too...

As I read the news reports, all those names of the towns that I had been to just over the past 2 weeks are so familiar... To think I was just at the South coast of Sri Lanka last week... My heart is rather heavy now... I have made friends over the course of my travels in the country and they included both locals and fellow travellers... I pray for their safety and am hoping that they are well. Many fishermen are reported washed up on shore in India and Sri Lanka... Oh dear... The fury of Mother Nature... And it's supposed to be Christmas...

Feeling so helpless in my computer room right now... Had been logging onto the Lonely Planet Forum and many others are so concerned about the situation too. Guess it's kinda like a network for travellers to find console in one another and update whatever they can. How I wish I could do more.

All I can do now is simply pray and hope the Red Cross and other aids can reach the region ASAP. And that Mother Nature has mercy on the people...