My prayers to those in SE Asia

[Ino]

Singapore itself was spared from this catastrophe, but our Asean neighbours, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand were badly hit. The only Singaporeans directly affected were those who were holidaying in Phuket and Patong.

Daily news and TV are now filled with desolating images and heartrending stories. Really painful, sad to read and watch.

Our civil and military airports are seeing harried tourists diverted from Thailand as well as emergency/medical teams setting off for rescue and relief ops.

A sombre mood has descended among us, no one feels like celebrating year-end festivities with as much merriment as before.

Please extend your thoughts and prayers to South Asia. The epicentre was just off Sumatra, Indonesia but the tsunami surged outwards to hit the coasts of SE Asia, across the Indian Ocean to South Asia and as far as Somalia, Africa.