Hello to colleagues in Asia,
By now many of have heard about the devastating earthquake and tsunamis that
struck south asia and south east asia yesterday.
This is just a few weeks removed from two devastating typhoons which hit
Eastern Philippines and caused floods and mudslides because of forests and
mountains denuded from illegal logging...we are barely through all our
relief efforts here, and starting on rehab work...Now this.
I see that Tamil Nadu in India was particularly hard-hit, home to colleagues
at the Swaminathan Foundation and the Open Knowledge Network's Pondicherry
telecenter project, among others. The Pondicherry project focuses on
providing weather data to local fisherfolk, and it appears that hundreds, if
not thousands of them have been killed. I know we have list members and
colleagues in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia as well; I hope
all of you and your families are safe.
For those affected. please don't hesitate to tell us what we can do, if
any...
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you who are being affected by this
tragedy.
Al