Extensive Environmental Damage Caused by the Tsunami
January 17, 2005
Many once-green rice fields in Indonesia now lay in utter waste – one more example of the devastating environmental impact of the tsunami.
“The environmental damage has been huge, from the obvious and visible destruction along the coastal areas to the possibility of extinction of certain species," said Ridha Saleh, deputy of director at Walhi, a leading Indonesian environmental group.
But the full extent of the environmental damage will not be understood for quite some time because rescue and aid efforts take top priority.
But aerial photos taken of the devastated areas give a good indication of the horrible damage that has occurred.
A 12-member expert environmental team assembled by the United Nations will begin a comprehensive study beginning in early February.
