CATASTROPHE!
It is almost impossible to really comprehend the catastrophe in Southern Asia - I read it described as biblical in proportion - 55,000+ dead already. So many of these areas depend on tourism to survive economically and I can’t imagine them rebuilding and attracting visitors in the foreseeable future. I live in Southern California in the US and experienced the “Northridge Earthquake” but the infrastructure here is such that even with freeway collapses, damage to many structures and, although terrible, very minimal loss of life, some semblance of normality returned fairly quickly. A relief aid was speaking on cable news a moment ago and commented that when the cameras go away and people have to try and pick up their lives, the real battle begins. Horrible situation…….