CNN.com: Tsunami toll rises above 26,000.

This was what it said the last time i checked. 7pm. Just this afternoon, as i was watching cnn today, the figure reported was just (or already) 22,000 and still rising. Just 5 hours later, 4000 more have been found, dead. The breakdown of the deaths follows:

DEATH TOLLS

INDONESIA
News agencies report more than 4,730 killed, many of them in Aceh in northern Sumatra.

SRI LANKA
Sri Lankan military authorities report more than 12,000 people killed. Tamil Tiger rebels report 2,000 dead in the territory they hold in the northeast of the country.


INDIA
At least 8,000 killed by waves that flooded the southern coast, official media report.


THAILAND
Thai authorities report at least 1,000 people dead.


MALDIVES
46 people are dead and more than 70 missing, according to Hassan Sobir, the Maldives high commissioner.

Families are flocking to makeshift morgues seeking lost loved ones as hundreds of thousands have been left homeless in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

For more updates: proceed here
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CNN has been my companion the past few days because of this catastrophe. Every time i switch to the channel, I'm still always left concerned and worried, somehow feeling the deep, formerly unnoticed human connection with these people thousand miles away from me. It doesn't have my interest because i deem that tragedies like this have the prerogative to be the headline everyday of the papers instead of some insignificant, worthless issues. I stand by because i think this should sherve as the more important focal point for us. Look at how many of the Philippines' neighboring countries were left with heavy casualties and we actually claimed just months ago how unfortunate we are for experiencing typhoons one after the other? Where then do we now position ourselves? There has to be a shift of perception. Had the earthquake/tsunamis not happened, we wouldnt have been awaken by our senses as to how lucky we are instead, contrary to what we've thought just a couple of weeks ago. However, who's the more ill-fated isn't the main issue here. The issue here is rather, how we should be tackling whatever is more worthy both of our intellect as well as time.

I was watching the news last night. A couple of people were asked if they think sending aid to other countries was a right decision. Their answers unsurprisingly didn't differ. Dapat dito muna bago yung ibang bansa. Perhaps these people just dont understand. We are sending aids for a couple of reasons: 1. Because Thailand, Malaysia, India, and Indonesia are fellow Asian countries so it becomes instinctive for the Head of the State to come to the rescue. 2. It's all about political strategy and creation of stronger state-to-state bond, or perhaps making new allies.

When i first heard about GMA's decision to send out help, first thing that came to mind was political strategy. I might be wrong but maybe some theorists might actually agree with what ive claimed above. This might be seen as a great opportunity of uplifting the connection among these countries. Politics. That's how it goes. Again, it might be just be for purely altruistic purposes. My heart says it's that, but my mind battles with it saying that altruism has long been buried and forgotten. For every humanitarian act of one state, not the likes of UN or IMF, lies a political design to further his/her world standing. Talk about realism. The idea of grabbing power as it sees opportunity, gaining control as it sees itself fit for a bigger rule.

Putting politics aside, I guess we're all grieving inside for this huge loss to mankind. While some may have survived, it seems that death still hasn't completely left them. With diseases underlying, as they wait for food that should be enough for them (and their families) to live not only by the day but by the following days of hardships they'd still have to bear, for sure, more would still be facing death. They certainly havent escaped from it yet.

PS I received this shocking and sad email from the president of one of my orgs.

Dear all,

Let us pray for Sharky Tan (HR Manager) and her family. They were by the beach at Phuket, Thailand at the time the 10-meter tsunami struck. Right now she is still missing. Her mom is hospitalized and her dad can not be found as well.

Let us all pray for their safety.

Remember what i said about human connection. Now, it's felt even deeper. *sigh*