Tsunami Update 11: Christmas Island is OK

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Yesterday, my heart stopped briefly when I heard the news of a second major earthquake off the shores of Indonesia, just two days after the three-month "anniversary" of the 2004 tsunami. While I have been remiss in following up on the tsunami over the past few weeks, I will focus first on some good news, to avoid Media over-exposure and resulting donation weariness. So, let me report about Christmas Island, my happenstance tsunami region focus. First, let me assure readers that not even the earthquake seems to have effected that island cluster northwest of Australia and just south of Indonesia, despite yesterday's 8.7 earthquake off island of Nias near Sumatra and just a 100 miles southeast of the December earthquake that caused the catastrophic tsnunami of 2004. It is news as usual, shown by reports over the past 24 hours. Christmas Island's main controversy remains that of the immigration of Asian boat refugees. At the tip of the tongue lately has been the case of a 14-month-old Vietnamese baby, who has been held in detention 8 weeks following approval of the baby's refugee status on Christmas Island, reports New Zealand's Scoop about a case championed by Australia's gration Minister Senator Amanda Vanstone and the non-profit organization Project SafeCom (also reported in The Age). Australia's The Age reports on Iraqi refugees also stranded in limbo on Christmas Island in an article entitled "The Forgotten." The Age follows the Immigration issue regularly: see yesterday's article and the previous day's editorial. Food and Hospitality industry people may be interested to learn that Holland America will call on Christmas Island during 2005-2006 on customized cruises (click here for more information). Perhaps some of us may make Christmas Island this year... Foodies and environmentalists may be happy to note (though perhaps for different reasons) a massive return of the red crab, as reported on March 11 by Greg Hunt MP, Australia's Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage (click here to read the report). Perhaps then there will be culls and therefore red crab feasts this year as well? News articles BBC: Lethal quake rattles tsunami zone The New York Times: Powerful Quake Jolts the Seabed Off the West Coast of Indonesia The News Hour: interview with Jim Devine of the U.S. Geological Survey Previous articles on Christmas Island: Tsunami Update 3: Christmas Island Hello, Christmas Island! Other previous articles on the 2004 Tsunami: Tsunami Update 10: Jean-Georges Vongerichten Tsunami Update 9: Dining to Donate, Pret-A-Porter Tsunami Update 8: Dining to Donate in San Francisco Tsunami Update 7: Dining to Donate in Washington DC Tsunami Update 6: Dining to Donate in Houston Tsunami Update 5: Chefs Counter Tsunami Update 4: US Ex-Presidents Lead Funding Tsunami Update 3: Christmas Island New Year's Resolution: Eat Well, Help Others Tsunami Update 2: Race Against More Death Tsunami Update 1: Foodies Help 2004 Tsunami: How Foodies Can Help --> back to superchefblog