India has a New Nightmare : Epidemic, Starvation
NEW DELHI: With thousands of bodies rotting and infrastructure in tatters, authorities and medical relief workers fear an epidemic and severe shortage of food supplies along south Indian coastline and in Andaman and Nicobar islands.
The fears arise with the number of casualties in Sunday's tsunami-strike reaching well above 10,000.
Despite mass burial, situation is overwhelming in Nagapattinam, Pondicherry and Andaman islands with hundreds of rotting bodies being discovered in remote villages.
The largest relief operation of human history is woefully short of medicines, food and other relief material as thousands crowd into temporary relief centres.
Situation is feared to be even worse in some Andaman islands that are yet to be reached by relief workers. In some islands, thousands are still believed to be taking shelter in forests.
"People should be buried and the animals should be destroyed and disposed off before they infect the drinking water. It's a massive operation," said UN disaster relief coordinator Jan Egeland.
more here
The fears arise with the number of casualties in Sunday's tsunami-strike reaching well above 10,000.
Despite mass burial, situation is overwhelming in Nagapattinam, Pondicherry and Andaman islands with hundreds of rotting bodies being discovered in remote villages.
The largest relief operation of human history is woefully short of medicines, food and other relief material as thousands crowd into temporary relief centres.
Situation is feared to be even worse in some Andaman islands that are yet to be reached by relief workers. In some islands, thousands are still believed to be taking shelter in forests.
"People should be buried and the animals should be destroyed and disposed off before they infect the drinking water. It's a massive operation," said UN disaster relief coordinator Jan Egeland.
more here
saltandsaffron at 10:57:00 pm |
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