False Tsunami Warnings Stir Panic in South Asia

Rumors of new giant waves sent many fleeing inland in panic on Thursday as millions scrambled for food and clean water and Asia's tsunami death toll soared above 125,000.

According to the Associated Press, a tsunami warning was issued at midday Thursday following aftershocks in the Indian Ocean, prompting tens of thousands to flee the southeastern coast. The warnings went out in southern India, Thailand and Sri Lanka, where millions are still traumatized by last weekend's devastating waves.

While India's warning said the wave could hit within an hour, hours later, no waves had arrived and the warning appeared to have been false. Tsunami sirens in southern Thailand also sent people dashing from beaches, but only small waves followed the alarms.

The false alarm highlighted the lack of an organized tsunami warning system in other parts of the world.

Experts have said such a system would have helped save lives after Sunday's 9.0 magnitude quake off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra sent 500 mph waves racing across the Indian Ocean, hitting unsuspecting residents thousands of miles away in Sri Lanka, India and East Africa.

In a recent statement by Billy Graham, the renown evangelist said, "My heart is saddened over the scenes that we have viewed the last few days on our television sets as it relates to the tragedy in Southeast Asia."

"We will help immediately in a meaningful way, and of course, we will do it in the Name of Jesus Christ."

So far over half a billion dollars in aid has been promised or delivered for victims of the quake.