why was the initial suspected death toll on 9/11 6,000 plus?

musicismylife78

i remember hearing on tv and reading in the days and weeks after 9/11 that the death toll was much much higher, than the nearly 3,000 that were confirmed.


why was this?

My guess, would be that, people were unable to contact loved ones who were at or near the WTC, but one would think if you were alive and unable to contact your family in the immediate aftermath of the attack, which seems like a common thing that happened, that by that night, if you were alive, you were home with family, or at a hospital and could call family. My other suspicion is that the absolute horror of the situation could have made bystanders or survivors have a breakdown of sorts, and wander around the city in a daze and spend maybe a day or two out of sorts, and shellshocked. This could last just a few days, or maybe it would be more substantial and long term. I think many people went by the number of people who normally were in the towers at that time, 14,000 plus, and i remember the day after talking to people who thought 50,000 may be dead. Yet, even weeks after the attacks i remember the numbers were still as high as 6.000 feared dead.

Whats everyone elses thoughts? What caused this discrepancy?

VINNY GOOMBA

musicismylife78 wrote:

i remember hearing on tv and reading in the days and weeks after 9/11 that the death toll was much much higher, than the nearly 3,000 that were confirmed.


why was this?

My guess, would be that, people were unable to contact loved ones who were at or near the WTC, but one would think if you were alive and unable to contact your family in the immediate aftermath of the attack, which seems like a common thing that happened, that by that night, if you were alive, you were home with family, or at a hospital and could call family. My other suspicion is that the absolute horror of the situation could have made bystanders or survivors have a breakdown of sorts, and wander around the city in a daze and spend maybe a day or two out of sorts, and shellshocked. This could last just a few days, or maybe it would be more substantial and long term. I think many people went by the number of people who normally were in the towers at that time, 14,000 plus, and i remember the day after talking to people who thought 50,000 may be dead. Yet, even weeks after the attacks i remember the numbers were still as high as 6.000 feared dead.

Whats everyone elses thoughts? What caused this discrepancy?

Because the news and the press in general ain't just what it used to be. 99% of the news media would rather mis-report first than report later and accurately.

unsung

Maybe they were anticipating buildings at full capacity.

Jason P

I went backpacking for a weekend right when Katrina was happening and the levees were still holding ... three days later I come out and new reports had the death toll at 100,000. Same with Japan's tsunami which had wide fluctuations.

When chaos ensues, there are lots of things to sort through. The media's drive to break the story feeds the inaccuracy more then anything else.

81

you've been around enough blocks to know that the media loves to jump on the biggest piece of information, right or wrong.

musicismylife78

but what about all those missing people? yes some, or maybe most were and are dead, gone either in the planes, or when both buildings crashed, but people were searching for missing people for weeks, months even. i would assume some are still searching. im well aware of the media and how unreliable it is, but i also think its likely, that they were going off the missing reports as well. Only a few were found alive in the rubble, but what about those missing for weeks, and werent confirmed dead? is it possible as i said, that they could have just had some sort of break with reality as a result of seeing the carnage that they developed amnesia, or just wandered off, moved to another city, became homeless, who knows what could have happened...?

musicismylife78

i also think its highly likely as i originally argued that people were unable to contact family immediately. or go home, or go anywhere. so the suggested death toll or injured toll would be impacted by that, initially, as no one could call anyone.

unsung

I never really bought into or paid much attention to the Truthers but over the last few days some of those explanations sure make you think that we aren't being told the whole truth by the government.

g under p

unsung wrote:

I never really bought into or paid much attention to the Truthers but over the last few days some of those explanations sure make you think that we aren't being told the whole truth by the government.

If you believe the government wasn't telling you the whole truth then do give a listen to this FBI agent Ali Soufan had to say about the state of US security before 9/11 and who knew what and when.

60 Minutes 9/11/11

The Interrogator Part I & II

Peace

mickeyrat

g under p wrote:

unsung wrote:

I never really bought into or paid much attention to the Truthers but over the last few days some of those explanations sure make you think that we aren't being told the whole truth by the government.

If you believe the government wasn't telling you the whole truth then do give a listen to this FBI agent Ali Soufan had to say about the state of US security before 9/11 and who knew what and when.

60 Minutes 9/11/11

The Interrogator Part I & II

Peace

Sorry I missed it last night. But I'm not going to sit through commercials on this.

Byrnzie

g under p wrote:

unsung wrote:

I never really bought into or paid much attention to the Truthers but over the last few days some of those explanations sure make you think that we aren't being told the whole truth by the government.

If you believe the government wasn't telling you the whole truth then do give a listen to this FBI agent Ali Soufan had to say about the state of US security before 9/11 and who knew what and when.

60 Minutes 9/11/11

The Interrogator Part I & II

Peace

I'd like to 'interrogate' that chick at the beginning of this video. :P

brianlux

unsung wrote:

I never really bought into or paid much attention to the Truthers but over the last few days some of those explanations sure make you think that we aren't being told the whole truth by the government.

Same here unsung. Some of the printed matter I've been handed lately- heavy food for thought.

HeavyHands

Byrnzie wrote:

I'd like to 'interrogate' that chick at the beginning of this video. :P

That's Lara Logan. You can learn about her here: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7364550n&tag=contentMain;contentBody

:(

g under p

Byrnzie wrote:

g under p wrote:

unsung wrote:

I never really bought into or paid much attention to the Truthers but over the last few days some of those explanations sure make you think that we aren't being told the whole truth by the government.

If you believe the government wasn't telling you the whole truth then do give a listen to this FBI agent Ali Soufan had to say about the state of US security before 9/11 and who knew what and when.

60 Minutes 9/11/11

The Interrogator Part I & II

Peace

I'd like to 'interrogate' that chick at the beginning of this video. :P

After what this FBI Aent had to say about his interrogations and how he was shut down by the CIA makes me think...Just like it made me think a short time after 9/11 that I found nearly impossible that THIS country had no idea that terriosts were here ready to do harm by hijacking planes and flying them into high profile buildings.

IMPOSSIBLE that we knew NOTHING or with our intelligence is it that WE chose to NOT know?

Peace

mikepegg44

the unknown. Fear of it, and trying to maximize the moment in time. People could not get through to anyone, the whole country basically watched two of the largest buildings in the most one of the most populated areas fall in front of their eyes...It was only natural to assume that thousands were missing and presumed dead. Luckily we found out later that the death toll was much lower.

Remember that they always said things like feared dead. Never confirmed. I don't really blame any news caster that day for what they were saying...they were trying to grasp at straws while witnessing something horrible on that day and in those weeks to follow...Those who do not deserve a pass are the ones who blindly reported that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction without ever reporting the FACT that there was no definitive proof.