This IRIS monitor scan says it all; the magnitude of the quake in Indonesia is stunning, as are the aftershocks. 

I note an older quake of considerable magnitude between Australia and Antartica; I wonder if this was the beginning of a chain of slippage?   There had been very large and unusual waves last week in Hawaii; perhaps this presaged the seismic activity in Indonesia, being more than a lagging indicator of a quake already come and gone.

The International Red Cross is accepting donations to help in Indonesia.  The resulting damage must be as dramatic as the magnitude of the earthquake.  Please help if you can.

UPDATE -- 11:38am EST --

More at this article from WorldChanging, including a map of the tsunami's travel and additional aid groups.

Can you even imagine 750,000 displaced people in only one nation?  This is an enormous disaster!

11:29:51 AM    comment []