U.N. Warns Tsunami Death Toll Could Reach 300,000

Reuters reports the World Health Organization warns that the tsunami death toll could double to about 300,000 unless survivors received clean water and other basic services by the end of the week.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it had sent emergency treatment to the region for diarrheal diseases such as cholera and dysentery but while the aid was reaching many locations, access to safe drinking water remained inadequate.

"If basic needs ... are not urgently restored to all populations by the end of this week, WHO fears that outbreaks of infectious disease could result in a similar number of fatalities as occurred due to the direct impact of the tsunami," the U.N. agency said in a statement on the Internet.

The WHO news release is available here.

I pray that the WHO is over reacting. The magnitude of this disaster is mind boggling.