URGENT Sri Lanka: Immediate Aid Needed in Koralawella, Moratuwa

There is a shortage of food at the Camp operatiing in the Sunanda Upananda Temple in Koralawella, Moratuwa. Approx. 680 families are living there right now. They say the have sorted out ways of cooking the food and can help themselves if given dry rations. An aid worker there estimates a minimum need of 100 Kgs of rice and 30 Kgs of Dal per meal for all the families for the next 2 days.

Because of the proximity to Colombo, the people of Koralawella have been virtually ignored and left to fend for themselves.

This need is urgent.

Please contact Kelly on +94 777 313068 for more information and for directions on how to get there.

PUNE UPDATE: 1ST JAN. 2005 - NIGHT REPORT

A] A LOT OF AID IN TERMS OF MEDICINES AND WATER HAS BEEN COLLECTED. HOWEVER, SINCE MOST OF THESE SHIPMENTS ARE BEING SENT OUT IN TRUCKS, A TRUCK FULL AT A TIME IS REQUIRED TO MOVE OUT. SO THIS IS A CALL TO THOSE WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING MONEY AND OTHER THINGS, TO FOCUS ON GIVING CHEQUES FAVOURING 'THE INDIAN RED CROSS SOCIETY' OR A DIRECT CONTRIBUTION OF 'MEDICINE SUPPLIES' . MEDICINE LISTS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE RED CROSS AT PUNE PH.NO. 020-26130031 OR THROUGH E-MAIL AT : vmoorthy@rediffmail.com.

B] INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEERS [VERY MUCH NEEDED] CAN BE FOUND FROM: AID-India
Old No 132, New No 242,
Avvai Shanmugam Road
Gopalapuram, Chennai - 600 086
Ph: 044- 28350403, 044- 28115058

Aceh: Internet Connection in Banda Aceh's Post Office

Translated from Aceh Media Center http://www.acehmediacenter.or.id/
Jan 1, 2005 13.37 pm

Internet connection has been established in the Post Office in Banda Aceh. This internet connection can be used for free by anyone for free. Please proceed to the post office or call 0651-27161 or mobile 0811232429.

Source: Yusuf Hendriarto, (hendriarto@telkom.co.id)

Update from AID Chennai - 6

Disclaimer: This report contains some graphic mention of loss of human life. Please be advised. The following is an excerpt from a six page update from AID's Chennai office. Please visit here for the entire update: AID Update # 6

...Most of the people affected are fisher people - they are not "poor" in the sense of the word. One woman said "We may live in huts - but you should have seen the inside - it was full of stuff - we had men working in dubai and we had motor boats, TV, VCRs, jewellery and pattu podavais. All that is now gone." Outside the camp was a huge bundle of old clothes without people going near them. And inside the camp one woman said "People have given us torn clothes - we are not poor, we don't mind used but good clothes - but we can't wear torn clothes. I have been wearing this same sari for the last 5 days". A young girl said "We can't wear saris - no one has given us chudidars." Another woman said "We have saris but no in-skirts or blouses - how can just wear the saris?"

The clothes problem is just one illustration of what is going on - chaotic relief without sufficient planning or consideration for the people affected. The need as I have already emphasized is good coordination.

While the bigger villages have government machinery working on clearing debris and helping the victims in relief camps, the entire coast is dotted with a lot of small village where the dead bodies have still not been removed - and hardly anyone is working in these areas. The whole place is rotting with bodies (particularly of children and women) and is smelling even from a distance. Without clearing work, people cannot return to their villages or start their normal lives again.

Most people don't want to touch the dead bodies - or even go near them. We have now got about 350 volunteers from nearby districts to help with the body removal work. For the last few days this work has been going on in 7 villages - slowly expanding to more villages. Each village has 30-50 volunteers and the local people from the village. We provide the gloves and materials needed to start the clearing work. The first day 46 bodies were removed from one village. Many volunteers vomited and then we treated them and are now doing it by rotation. Two days ago, when volunteers began lifting bodies, the head and the hands from the corpses began to come apart! Many corpses are stuck under nets and it is difficult to remove these....

Source:AIDIndia Website.

Aceh: Internet Connection Established in Aceh

Translated From Aceh Media Centre http://www.acehmediacenter.or.id/

Jan 1 2005. 6.08 pm. After a 6 hours journey through the west coast of Aceh, the IT Volunteer Team of Airputih reached Aceh. The team worked for 4 hours and managed to connect VSAT via PSN Bina. The capacity of 128 kbps is enabled by NOC PSN in Jakarta. The volunteer team is considering opening a Media Centre in Aceh.

Contribute to Aceh Relief from Massachusetts

Thanks to our reader for this info: for those in Massachusetts, US area and want to contribute to Aceh relief funds:

Aceh Sumatra Relief Fund, Inc

This fund is a non-profit organization on raising money for Tsunami victims in Aceh, Indonesia. We are collecting money for the helpless victims in Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia. Money is the best option because it is easier to transfer and ten times cheaper to purchase supplies in Indonesia. Aceh got the worse of the Tsunami, wave of destruction with a 9.0 scale Richter and 120,000 people dead. The number of death is still rising because many bodies were not been found yet, and some are brutally injured. Families are lost and need help to survive and find their love ones. Hundreds of thousand are threatened by hunger and diseased. Help can happen with your donation. Donation can also be mail to:

Aceh Sumatra Relief Fund Inc.
EIN: #20-2079032
164 Florence Street #2
Roslindale, MA. 02131 Telp: 617-553-0472

Sri Lanka: Women’s Groups appeal for an inclusive framework for disaster response

A Press Release issued in Colombo today by a collection of Sri Lankan Women's Groups.

A collective of women’s rights groups who have conducted a series of fact-finding missions in the tsunami-affected areas over the past week wishes to bring to public attention serious issues concerning the safety and wellbeing of women which have not been addressed so far in relief efforts.

We appreciate the many public initiatives to collect and deliver relief and assist those affected by the tsunami in whatever ways are possible. However, our observations indicate that these efforts need to be refocused to ensure that those who have suffered as a consequence of the tsunami are not subjected to further

violence and abuse by unscrupulous persons.

The heightened vulnerability of people in these areas due to the destruction of communication lines and the large-scale mass displacement and death of people has created situations in which women and girls become more likely to encounter violence.

In particular, we have received reports of incidents of rape, gang rape, molestation, and physical abuse of women and girls in the course of unsupervised rescue operations and while resident in temporary shelters, particularly in the south. Apart from these incidents (the number of which is not known), these reports have also indicated that women’s mobility continues to be restricted due to the fear of sexual violence. No proper monitoring body has been set up to receive complaints, to take action against perpetrators, or to ensure the safety of women in these areas.

We urge government authorities, and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, in particular, to take note of these violations, and to take immediate measures to investigate such incidents. We also urge collaboration between state institutions and agencies such as UNHCR, OXFAM and other agencies working on gender-based violence in this matter. Provision of adequate security and establishing complaints mechanisms should be an urgent priority in the relief process.

We are also concerned that the information flowing from the Tsunami-hit areas does not provide detailed accounts of the numbers of specific vulnerable communities such as pregnant women, lactating mothers, persons with physical and mental disabilities, persons with special medical needs and requiring daily and consistent medication. The collection of such data is absolutely critical for identifying priority needs in the days to come.

The lack of a system that could identify children separated from their families has also hampered efforts to locate families missing children or to resettle children with relatives in the locations where they were found. We strongly urge the National Child Protection Authority to coordinate with the Department of Probation and Childcare Services to set up a mechanism to address this problem. As an initial step, measures may be taken to register these children temporarily with Probation officers and police stations

The inadequate structures of coordination within the government bureaucracy at the level of Kachcheris and Divisional Secretariats is also a matter of grave concern. In view of the fact that government officers in local administration who were resident in the areas have also suffered personal loss during this time, it is imperative that the government seconds senior and middle-level government officials to take over administrative functions in the tsunami affected areas in order to ensure that these structures are able to function efficiently for relief efforts.

Considering the enormous destruction to life and property, we urge the government to postpone the Advanced Level Examination and all university examinations.

Sri Lanka Women's NGO Forum
Mothers and Daughters of Lanka
Action Network for Migrant Workers
Women's Alliance for Peace
Women's Alliance for Peace and Democracy
1 January 2005

G O India - Situation Report XIV

Govt of India releases 14th Situation Report. 1 Jan 2005, at 1600 Hrs.

Among other things, the report mentions that an Integrated Relief Command (IRC) for the Andaman & Nicobar Groups of Islands under the Chairmanship Lt.Governor, A & N Islands has been constituted for effective coordination and operationalization of relief and rehabilitation measures. The IRC has already become operational.

Guidelines for Psychosocial Support Efforts

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

Introduction

There are many reasons why people may be distressed and upset in the aftermath of the tsunami. Some of these reasons include the following:
Loss of family members, relatives, friends, personal belongings including the family home and property may sadden and shock people. This may be particularly upsetting for those who have lost their entire livelihoods.
Exposure to horrific events. Many people have witnessed or suffered very distressing and alarming experiences, which may cause shock, confusion, anxiety and alarm.

Ongoing risk of danger. Even in these last few days, there have been many alarms of further tsunamis, creating further panic and confusion amongst people.
Physical injury and illness to self or others. This may also cause people to be alarmed or worried. They may also not be able to take care of themselves or others as well as they would like to.
Living in a stressful and deprived environment. Refugee camps are often places without adequate food and water. They are often overcrowded and have poor sanitation facilities. People may be stressed because they have to share personal space with people they are unfamiliar with. There may quarrels or disagreements about how to share scare resources. Some people maybe left out because they are not as forceful as others or come from socially ostracised groups. Additionally, people from different communities and social backgrounds may find it difficult to live together.

It is important to note that people are normally expected to have stress reactions at this time. These are not signs of psychiatric impact or trauma and do not require psychiatric treatment. Most people are expected to have a normal recovery in the following weeks.

Psychosocial interventions should not interfere with the organisation of food, shelter, clothing, public health services and the control of communicable diseases in the areas affected by the tsunami. Apart from early psychosocial interventions, formal therapeutic activities geared towards recovery should not take place earlier than two to four weeks after the acute situation.

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

Suggestions for Supporting Psychosocial Wellbeing and Mental Health

People will benefit from having reliable information about their family members and loved ones as soon as possible.
Set up a system such as a registry to keep track of names of people who have been found, who are in hospitals, who are in refugee camps or who have found shelter with relatives or friends
Have names and/or details of the system/registry so that people know where to call or contact regarding the location of their families or friends
Concerning unaccompanied children, the elderly and vulnerable groups such as those who have lost all or most of their family, help them to locate family members or other known people
Information about the following should be made available in uncomplicated language:
What are tsunamis, how and why they occur will be helpful for people to understand what has happened. However, people’s understanding and explanation of the tsunami will also be linked to their religious and cultural beliefs regarding disasters and crises.
Signs indicating further tsunamis, and what to do in case these signs appear
Where to call or contact regarding reliable information on the possibility of further tsunamis

Information about the following should be made available in uncomplicated language:
Ongoing efforts to establish the safety of people in the tsunami-affected areas
Ongoing relief efforts, including what each organisation is doing and where they are located
Contact names and details of people to call regarding relief efforts, if people would like to donate things, bring relief, get relief or volunteer themselves

A good guideline for uncomplicated language is if local 12-year olds can understand the information.

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

Suggestions for People Working in Tsunami-affected Areas and in Refugee Camps

Encourage people working in the tsunami-affected areas to involve survivors in the relief and rescue efforts where possible, especially adolescents, orphans, widows, widowers and those without families. Do not treat people as passive and helpless victims. This is one of the most disturbing experiences for people who have been displaced or otherwise affected by disasters. Instead, involve them in concrete, purposeful and common activities
Older children can help look after younger siblings and children, or help in the preparation of food for cooking
Adults can help in preparing, cooking and distributing food, organising and constructing shelter, documenting information, organising family tracing, clearing and cleaning spaces for living, providing security for the camp, organising or supporting health services and healthcare, caring for the sick or teaching children
Provide opportunities for adults and adolescents with special skills to use their skills as much as possible for the wellbeing and functioning of the camp community and for earning their living, if possible. Masons, carpenters, teachers, nurses and others should be assigned to tasks that utilise their areas of expertise.

Encourage those who are working in tsunami-affected areas to organise living spaces such as refugee camps and other places in the following ways as this will help to maintain normalcy in people’s lives
Organisation and construction of shelter should keep members of same families and communities together
Provide as much privacy as possible for each family by hanging mats or cloths around the area allocated to them.
Provide religious, recreational and cultural spaces in the design of the camps
Involve the community in deciding where to locate religious places, schools and water supply in the camps
Establish schooling and play areas for children, as much as is possible
Ensure that sanitation and bathing facilities are accessible in areas that do not threaten people’s wellbeing or subject them to further harassment, particularly young girls and women
Re-establish normal religious and cultural activities and events. These may include daily prayers, lighting of lamps, and other activities
Invite religious leaders to conduct daily religious activities
Recognise the different needs of different groups of people; age, gender, ethnicity, religion, people with disabilities, people with special medical or health issues, etc.

Discourage unceremonial disposal or burial of dead people as survivors need to have the possibility to conduct ceremonious funerals and if not mutilated or decomposed, see the body in order to say goodbye. Also, if no record of the dead is there, then there will be unnecessary financial and legal difficulties for the survivors. Dead bodies carry no or extremely limited risk of communicable diseases.

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

Promoting Psychosocial Wellbeing and Mental Health

People will need to have access to emergency or public healthcare for those people who are in extreme shock, who have lost contact with reality, and who want to harm themselves or others as a result of their losses. To respond to these, encourage people working in these areas to undertake the following:
Establish a care unit within the public health care system, whether run by state or non-governmental organisations.
Organise mobile clinics where possible as people and infrastructure does not allow mobility
Ensure availability of essential psychiatric medications, in case of need, especially as there will be people who have been taking medications prior to the tsunami.
Antidepressants, anti-psychotic medication, and tranquillisers may be useful, but should be avoided as far as possible.

People will also benefit from the organisation of good hygiene and sanitation as this will support their sense of wellbeing and prevent vulnerability to disease and additional distress.
People need access to appropriate sanitation facilities.
Keep sanitation areas clean.
Boil water before consumption to avoid contamination and disease as far as possible.
Have separate areas for bathing, if possible.
Set up a garbage disposal system through out the camp. Assign an area for garbage disposal. Bury perishables in an appropriate place. Have an appropriate system for sanitation needs of menstruating girls and women.
Follow the principles of brief psychological first aid to provide emotional care and support to others in this difficult time.

Listen
Convey compassion and caring
Assess practical needs
Provide practical help as and when required
Ensure basic physical needs are met
Do not force people to talk. Listen to what they want to share with you.
Support people in solving or handling problems. The problem management techniques involve identifying the problem, looking at causative factors, listing courses of action to alter causative factors, evaluate courses of action and choosing what seems to be most feasible and appropriate under the circumstances. Help the person in carrying out what action they have chosen, although this may not be in line with what you’ve thought about.
Point out how well they have coped and how they have been resourceful during the crisis, where appropriate
Do not give simple reassurances to people such as “it is God’s will” or “at least you have your children” or “look how others have suffered”.
Provide or obtain company for people, preferably family or known people
Encourage social support but do not force this
Protect people from further harm
Do not organise single sessions where people are forced to talk deeply about their personal experience, especially beyond what they would naturally share.
In these circumstances, many people are forced to talk repeatedly about their experience to all those who want to know about people’s particular experiences. This will get repeatedly difficult for those concerned. Discourage people being forced to talk about their experiences again and again for the benefit of the curious.

The loss of loved ones is one of the most difficult experiences for people who have survived the tsunami disaster. It is important to recognise that this is an extremely personal experience and that there is no right or wrong way for people to respond or react to their loss. People need time to recover from this loss, and their expressions of grief at this point in time should not be seen as signs of mental health illness or as irrecoverable grief. People’s capacities for recovery and resilience have been found to be very strong. Some of the ways of supporting people through this may be:

Listening to the person talking about the loss or the lost persons
Reassuring the person that imagining the person is still alive or searching for the person is normal and not signs of insanity.
Tell the person that different people respond in different ways and that there is no right or wrong way. Some people find it difficult to believe in the loss, others may be angry or guilty that the person is lost, and others may feel extremely sad and lonely.
Crying, having sleeping difficulties and loss of interest in activities and other people are normal reactions to loss.
Performing activities such as prayers or religious functions for the lost person may be helpful. Funerals or ceremonial burials are very helpful, if they can be performed.
Encourage person to be in the company of those whom they know or trust.
Those who have lost all or many of their family members are at risk of self-harm. Ensure that they are adequately supported and involved in different activities.

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

References:
Mental Health in Emergencies: Mental and Social Aspects of Health of Populations exposed to Extreme Stressors, Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence, WHO Geneva, 2003
The above document also contains elements of from guidelines prepared by the Directorate of Mental Health Services, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka on 30th December 2004. This document will be made available online as soon as possible.

Compiled by the Psyschosocial Support Programme of the IWTHI Trust
Translated versions will be made available shortly
31st December 2004

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

ACC and ICC announce two cricket matches for tsunami relief

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) will play a two-match, one-day series to raise funds for tsunami victims in various countries.

The ACC will sponsor the first match, to be played in Melbourne, Australia, on January 10. The second match will be played in mid-February in a location to be selected by the ACC.

The proceeds from the first match would be donated to global relief and development organization World Vision, which is providing food and family survival kits to countries affected by the tsunami disaster.

Sources: New Kerla, International Cricket Council

the most important thing needed in Chennai.

KEROSENE.

They need Kerosene to burn the dead. No one seems to have supplied that as yet.

Govt of India - Situation Report XIII

Go India releases Situation Report XII. (1 Jan 2005, 0800 Hrs)
Details are included on areas affected in India, movement of relief materials, updates on infrastructure available in the areas, status of deployment of medical teams, supply of petroleum products and details of ex-gratia payments.

Appeal from U.S. Based Sri Lanka Relief Fund

From Marian:

Of the 80,000 people who have died as a result of the tsunamis over 26,000 were from Sri Lanka. The death toll is still rising along with threat of deadly diseases associated with the aftermath. Due to the immense devastation, Sri Lanka is in great need of financial support to purchase medical supplies to aid the survivors.

We urgently appeal to you to come together as a community and raise money to help the victims of this great tragedy. We are in a poition of great power and privilege and with that privilege comes the responsibility to aid people who have been left
injured and homeless.

Diaspora Flow, a Sri Lankan run 501(c) 3 nonprofit arts organization, has started a fund called The Sri Lanka Relief Fund. A benefit show will be held in the coming

month in Minneapolis in conjunction with the Los Angeles Sri Lankan community to raise money for the surviving victims. We'll send more info on that in the coming week. All proceeds and donations will go to orphanages and hospital clinics that have been devastated (north, east and south) and to Direct Relief International to provide anti-biotics, painkillers, and water purification tablets, which Sri Lanka states, are the most essential items at this moment. To save as many lives as possible, immediate donations are welcome in order to provide emergency
healthcare for victims.

Direct Relief is a non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian organization that provides assistance without regard to race, ethnicity, political or
religious affliation their support goes to administrative and fundraising
expenses.

All donations are tax-deductible and can be mailed to the following address:

The Sri Lanka Relief Fund
12134 Jonquil St. NW
Coon Rapids MN 55433

Please make checks payable to: The Sri Lanka Relief Fund

We are in the middle of setting up an electronic payment system, but until then, please mail checks so we can send urgently needed money for medical supplies. Thank you for your support in this time of tragedy.

If you would like a receipt of donation for tax purposes please include a self-addressed stamped envelope so that one can be mailed to you. If you work for a company, please find out what their matching donation policy is.

We are in the middle of setting up a webpage with more information; in a few days please visit www.diasporaflow.org/srilanka-relief.html

If you have questions about the fund, please feel free to contact us by email at srilanka-relief AT diasporaflow d-o-t org or call us at the numbers below. Thank you for your time.

Pradeepa- (co-director of D'Flow) 612-237-7670
Chamindika- (co-director of D'Flow) 651-489-8393
Vinothini (Vino) -Board Member 763-443-1320
Amirthini (Amu) -Board Member 763-639-6833

Diaspora Flow
Sri Lanka Relief Fund

PUNE UPDATE - 1ST JAN.: INFORMATION FOR VOLUNEERS

MAITRI [PUNE]:
Contact us atvinitat@vsnl.com or jayuanil@vsnl.netVinita: 094225 21702 or Jayashree 098231 38888.

LOCAL RED CROSS [PUNE]: O20-26130031

AID HELPLINE [CHENNAI]: 044-28350403 / 044-55615629
(BHARATI / MANOHAR / HARI)

VOLUNTEERS FOR RESCUE WORK [TAMIL NADU]:04635-242999 / 04635-248777

Satellite images and updates from NRSA

tsunami.pps and update.pps from http://www.nrsa.gov.in uploaded at mirror.
click here to get it (zip file size 8.28 MB)

more images from satellite available at

http://chopada.blogspot.com/2005/01/more-tsunami-satellite-pictures-from.html

Courtesy: National Remote Sensing Agency, Dept. of Space, Govt. of India
http://www.nrsa.gov.in

Donate to TRO and IMHO for Srilankan Tsunami Relief

The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and the International
Medical Health Organization (IMHO) are perhaps the best equipped to
provide relief to the displaced survivors in the Northeastern region
of Sri Lanka.

Please make a donation to one of the following organizations. You can
rest assured that one hundred percent of your donation will go towards
the relief work, with nothing taken out for administrative costs.

Please send your tax deductible donation, by check or money order,
made payable to IMHO.

DO IT TODAY, and send us an e-mail confirmation (imho@imhousa.org).
Tell your friends (forward this message or call them) and ask them to
do the same.

Board of Directors
International Medical Health Organization
P.O. Box 901,
Bel Air,
MD 21014-0901
USA
(Make check payable to 'International Medical Health Organization' (
or IMHO) to claim your tax-deduction)

North Eastern Srilanka - Batticaloa and Amparai District Report

Source : Relief Web

Excerpts:

Batticaloa District:

The affected people are accommodated in 23 care centres. The number mounted to 12000 seven out of fourteen A.G.A 's Divisions are badly affected . Tamils in Colombo, Vavuniya and abroad are sending relief provision through TRO.

Amaparai District:
Many villages in the Amparai District are fully destructed and washed off by the Tsunami tides into the sea. More than 8000 inhabitants are feared to be dead, and 3000 have been confirmed. At Sampanthirai 2200 bodies and 425 at Veeramunai are buried. All are Tamils. At Natpittimunai a Muslim village 325 bodies are buried. Pandiruppu, Karaithevu, Kalmunai, Akkaraipattu, 40th mile post, Thampattai, Thambiluvil, Thirukovil, Vinayagapuram , Kolavil, Thandiyadi and pothuvil are badly affected. In Thirukovil 400 bodies are recovered and 216 are identified. Mr. Ceaser the Director of TRO, Amparai district said their TRO office is rending the relief service beyond its capacity .He further added because of only one load of relief items arrived at Amparai it is insufficient to fulfil the needs of Naveethamveli care centre. Muslims of Akkaraipattu are helping the Tamils Victims in various ways.

Read more here

More aftershocks in Andaman & Nicobar, off Sumatra coast

New Delhi, Jan. 1.(PTI): The Andaman and Nicobar region continued to be rattled by moderate intensity earthquakes even as another temblor was recorded this morning off the West Coast of Sumatra.

Two earthquakes of moderate intensity occurred near Car Nicobar in Andaman and Nicobar islands since late last night, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said here.

The quakes, measuring 5.2 and 5.0 on the Richter Scale, shook the region at 2332 hours last night and at 0340 hours early today.

While the epicentre of the first quake was at 8.1 degrees North Latitude and 92.0 Degrees East Longitude, the other was epicentred at 9.28 degrees North and 92.87 degrees East, it said.

Meanwhile, at 0726 hours IST today, a 5.2 intensity quake occurred off the West Coast of Sumatra, the Met Department said.

The temblor was epicentered at 4.3 degrees North Latitude and 94.6 degrees East Longitude.

Source: The Hindu

Find Missing Persons in Myanmar (Burma)

The Center for Diplomatic Missions has staff on the ground in Myanmar (Burma) and is willing to relay missing persons inquiries for local effort to locate by phone or address visit.

Send the best available data regarding the person sought, include all hotel names, cities and any other data you may have or suspicion -- the more information you provide the better our staff can assist you.

Communications in and out are difficult-to-impossible, but we have Satphone contact with email relay and will be happy to assist as many as possible.

James A. Howell, Director
The Center for Diplomatic Missions
Washington, DC (202) 331-6640
New York, NY (212) 714-8360
Ft. Lauderdale, FL (954) 588-0264

Prague - Artists for Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans, Americans, and Czechs living in Prague are organising several benefit concerts to raise funds for aid activities in Sri Lanka. Gayathri Khemadasa, a classical pianist and Jeff Hush, an independent filmmaker are leading the effort with Czechs Ivana Stepankova, Jitka Gunaratna, and Vidu Gunaratna. The group is called ”Artists for Sri Lanka”.

The events organised at the moment are:

Solo piano concerts of modern classical music by Gayathri Khemadasa
Hlahol (Masarykovo Nabrezi 16, Praha 1) on February 4, 5, and 6, 2005

Roxy, the dance club and arts center on Dlouha Ulice, will hold a benefit concert with local bands on the 6th of February

The group also plans to hold more concerts, a photography exhibition, film showings, and theater performances. Likely venues for other events are Lucerna Music Bar, the French Institute, Divadlo Archa, Dobeska, Akropolis, Dejvicke Divadlo, and the two arts cinemas, Aero and Svetozor.

The funds raised from these benefit events will be sent to two areas in Sri Lanka. One in the North of the island and one in the South. In the Northern part of the island the funds will support relief efforts in the two islands of Delft and Nainathivu and in the South the funds will assist the people of the two fishing villages of Kalametiya and Hungama.

jeffhush@yahoo.com or contact by phone at 251626355 or 721602574.

The LTTE reaches out

31th December, Kilinochchi : Representatives of over 60 international NGOs gathered in Kilinochchi yesterday to listen to the leader of the LTTE’s Political Wing, S P Thamilchelvam appeal for more aid for relief work in their areas. He also outlined the LTTE’s thre step plan for responding to the disaster – meeting the immediate needs of the displaced people, sanitizing the area (including disposing of bodies) and finally rebuilding and reconstruction work in the damaged areas.

He also reminded the gathering that reconstruction work continuing in the Mullaitivu District since the ceasefire agreement three years has been almost completely erased. The orphanages maintained by the LTTE to provide care for war orphans too have been badly damaged by the Tsunami. At that Senthalil Orphanage in Mullaitivu

only 5 of 150 children survived.

Also speking to the NGO representatives in Kilinochchi, Miguel Bermoe, the United Nations Resident Representative for Sri Lanka stated that if this tragedy taught the Government and the LTTE how to work together then at least some good would have come out of it. Even though the Government and the LTTE have maintained the ceasefire for the past three years, tensions between the two groups has been rising and fears of a return to war have been on the increase all over the island.

Speaking to the media after the meeting Thamilchelvam said that they had received several solid proposals from the Government on how best to coordinate relief efforts and that they had replied to them positively. Responding to a journalist’s question as to whether they could trust the Government, Thamilchelvam said that ‘trust is not even a question’. Many civil society observers note that this is perhaps the most positive gesture made by the LTTE since the signing of the ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile Hareem Peiris, advisor to President Chandrika Bandaranaike-Kumarathunge, also arrived in Kilinochchi in the same helicopter as the UN representatives. He was rushed off from the airfield in an LTTE vehicle and his discussions with the LTTE seemed to be completely confidential.

Call for inclusive framework and a new agreement

31st December Colombo : At a meeting held in Colombo today several leading civil society initiatives came together to appeal for an inclusive framework for disaster response. Their recommendations included a call for ‘fair and equitable dissemination of aid’ in keeping with ‘international guidelines for conflict sensitive disaster management.’

Since relief efforts began last Sunday afternoon, this appeal is the first effort to look at relief efforts from a conflict sensitive angle. This is specially important when considering the fact that many of the areas affected by the Tsunami have already been devastated by 20 years of civil conflict.

The most significant recommendation made by the group is for a new ‘agreement on human security’ between the Government and the LTTE. The recommended new agreement would run parallel to the ceasefire agreement which has been in place for almost three years. It would ‘ensure that all restrictions imposed on parties should be reconsidered in order to guarantee effective multi-party participation’. While such an agreement would certainly assist the aid efforts, especially in the LTTE held areas along the Eastern coast, it is highly unlikely that the anti-LTTE groups are going to view it favourably.

There have not yet been any responses to the recommendations or the appeal.

National Christian Council, Sri Lanka

The National Christian Council in Sri Lanka has been using their network of churches in the affected areas of the island for relief distribution and coordination work. They need your support.

Niroshini Nayagam
National Christian Council, Sri Lanka

+94 112 810502
+94 777 847550

Sumatra and Aceh Relief Contact Numbers

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia Tokyo has published some useful contact numbers (mobile phones) for Aceh and North Sumatra disaster relief:

Family News Network of the International Committee of the Red Cross - Natural Disaster Indonesia
http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/WFL_IDJ.NSF/DocIndex/home_eng?opendocument

India Control Room in Jakarta (Indonesia)
Tel No: 00-62-21-5204153,
Fax No: 00-62-21-5204160;
E-mail: eoijkt@indo.net.id & ambindia@indo.net.in

Embassy of Canada in Jakarta (Indonesia)
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/jakarta/
Tel.: 62 (21) 2550-7800
Fax: 62 (21) 2550-7811
E-Mail: jkrta@international.gc.ca

Germany Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/jakarta/
http://www.deutschebotschaft-jakarta.or.id/spr_2/home/index.html
(0062 21) 39 85 50 00

Relief Flights to Port Blair, Andaman

Dec 31. Indian Airlines operated 12 flights today to Port Blair carrying relief material and paramilitary forces to assist in relief operations in the tsunami-hit Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The flights, which were operated from Kolkata and Chennai, included two cargo flights that carried 15 tonnes of relief material.

Jet Airways will offer a 50 per cent rebate on 30 seats in the economy class of its daily flight from Port Blair to Chennai effective from tomorrow till January 7. Over 1,900 residents and tourists stranded on the islands have been evacuated from Port Blair on the 18 flights which the private carrier operated from Port Blair to Chennai and Kolkata.

Jet Airways will also transport daily 3,000 kg of relief cargo, comprising drinking water, clothing, food and medicines to Port Blair and Colombo from Chennai.

Source: The Hindu

Tamil Tigers grapple with disaster in Sri Lanka

BBC News Reporter Jeremy Bowen reports from Mullaitivu about how the LTTE held areas are grappling with the disaster:

Excerpts:

Little information has emerged from parts of Sri Lanka controlled by the rebel Tamil Tigers following Sunday's tsunami.

The BBC gained access to the village of Mullaitivu in the north-east of the island.

Tamil Tiger rebels here say that more than 3,000 people died in Mullaitivu - that is out of a population of more than 5,000

More here

Disease Prevention Pamphlets in Vernacular

Folks,
ASHA Seattle volunteers have come up with pamphlets in English and Tamil to prevent the outbreak of disease and epidemics amongst both the volunteers and victims. They have run it through doctors and got them approved medically.

Please distribute these links and/or pamphlets widely, to all agencies that you know are involved in relief work. It might come up in useful with both Tamil Nadu and perhaps even North/North-Eastern Sri Lanka. ASHA is constantly reviewing and updating the info.

You can access the pamphlets at:Disease Prevention Pamphlets. There are also some excellent maps of the affected areas, showing the villages and towns affected in detail, and other resources related to the Tsunami and the relief efforts.

Here are the individual links to the pamphlets:
Relief Workers Pamphlet (English) (PDF File)
Relief Workers Pamphlet (Tamil) (PDF File)


Disease Prevention Pamphlets for Victims (English) (PDF File)

Disease Prevention Pamphlets for Victims (Tamil) (PDF File)

Note: The above files will open with Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Find Missing Persons in Sri Lanka

Thanks to Sanjay Senanayake (Morquendi) - one of the many 'Field' Bloggers we have on our team - who's doing an amazing job by reporting through SMS & this blog from Sri Lanka for this bit of information:

Here is a good missing persons database run by the University of Moratuwa over here:

http://www.findthem.lk/dataentry.htm - The Missing Persons Database of
the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Andamans Field Report

Source: AIDIndia Website
SEEDS, Port Blair. 31 December 2004. 1800 hrs IST

The SEEDS field assessment team reached Tamil Nadu on 27 December. We realised that there are some credible NGOs extending aid there. Meanwhile the toll in Andaman and Nicobar was rising and no assistance had reached there due to logistics problems. As such, we moved to the Andamans on 28 December and started relief operations here. Our update is below.

1. We are continuing our relief activities in the two relief camps in Port Blair where evacuees from three locations - Hutbay, Campbell bay, Nancowrie and Car Nicobar Island are being given shelter. These relief camps are being run in Nirmala school and School Line, both in Port Blair, where we have more than 1300 people in the camps right now and more keep coming in. People in the relief camps are being provided shelter, food, toilets and basic cleanliness and sanitation services.

2. Nicobar area is worst hit. The people were washed out, and these being islands in the middle of the ocean, many bodies did not wash back ashore. From back calculations (by counting heads and assuming missing persons as dead), the rough estimates of casualties are about 15,000 in this group of islands alone. Most of the evacuees from these islands are coconut farmers or run piggeries back on their islands.

3. The administration is still evacuating people from vulnerable areas and bringing them to Port Blair under fear of another tsunami. A false alert caused great panic yesterday.

4. There is still no other NGO doing relief work in Andaman and Nicobar. Some NGOs have come for reconnaissance work. There are two more camps being run in Port Blair, both by the administration. Only the administration and some small local groups are working. They are grossly inadequate.

5. There is damage in Port Blair in terms of infrastructure. The administration is busy with putting things back in place. These are primarily facilities that have been damaged, like communications, roads, airport and jetty.

There are another 14 points and a list of proposed goals. Please read the entire update at the AIDIndia website: Andamans Field Report

Thailand - Field Report

Source : Relief Web

Situation

The latest figures released by the Government as of 1200 hrs local time today are:

- 4,541 dead (Thai: 2,128, Foreigners: 2,230, Unidentified: 183)

- 10,469 injured (Thai: 5,042, Foreigners:1,510, Unidentified: 3,917)

- 6,479 missing (Thai: 4,582, Foreigners:1,663, Unidentified: 234)

Recovery and identification of human remains is still ongoing. The forensic capacity is improving with specialised teams from many countries in place working along with the Thai police. There seems to be a problem in distributing formalin and body bags to all the temples used as morgues.

Although many countries are air-lifting injured foreigners, the capacities of the hospitals in the affected area still extremely stretched due to the vast amount of people injured. There have been no reports of outbreaks of diseases.

The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team has fielded two assessment missions to the disaster-affected areas. The team has been reinforced by the OCHA Regional Disaster Response Advisor for Asia.

Requirements

Needs and requirements as indicated by the Government are as follows: 1) Metal caskets/coffins (for international transportation), 2) Medical supplies (such as first aid kits, dressing sets, gauze and bandages), 3) Medicines (especially anti-diarrhea, anti-biotic and anti-septic), 4) Rubber gloves, masks, 5) Tents and office supplies, 6) Blankets, clothes, shoes, sandals, underwear, pants and sanitary napkins, 7) Heavy equipment (such as excavators and bulldozers), 8) Power generators, 9) Water purifiers, 10) Forensic pathologists, 11) Freezer containers for storing bodies, 12) Communications equipment, and 13) Dried or canned food and rice.

International Response

Representatives from 37 embassies are presently in Phuket to give assistance to the victims, focusing on recovery and identification on human remains. A daily coordination meeting on forensic work takes place at the police headquarter in Phuket. Airlift for forensic teams to the three main areas of work is now available. A joint information collection centre will be established at the Phuket town hall for gathering information from relatives.

Several needs assessments are currently being conducted. The immediate needs seem to be met in most places through emergency assistance from many European countries, countries in Asia and other parts of the world and UN agencies. However, there is an increasing need for preventive infectious disease control measures.

Somalia - Field Report

Source : Relief Web

Members of the aerial assessment mission conducted on 30 December shared with the press the findings of their mission. The mission comprised representatives from OCHA, WFP, WHO, UNICEF, ECHO and the Associated Press TV. The team flew from Hafun Island to Bender Biela and later over Garacad, which composed the three sites identified to be worst affected. Hafun appeared as the worst hit with considerable damage to shelters, at Bender Biela some of the houses were demolished as well however to a lesser extent. The damage to shelters at Garacad appeared minimal. Other sites to the north were not visited due to limitation of flight time. The assessment team recommended immediate action by the respective agencies, emphasizing that findings of this assessment should be triangulated with findings of assessment teams on the ground.

The acting Humanitarian Coordinator stressed the fact that unlike other affected countries in Asia, Somalia lacked the indigenous capacity to assess the damage caused by the tsunami, which has placed the responsibility on humanitarian actors.

The members of the Somali Disaster Management Committee (DMC) stressed that the magnitude of damage at some regions is alarming, citing that up to 30,000 people might be affected. Most urgent needs quoted were drinking water as a large number of drinking wells were washed away, in addition to food, medication and shelter.

Based on initial findings, emerging needs were currently within the capacity of most operational agencies. However these resources are borrowed from existing projects and would need to be replenished, particularly the food aid.

PLEDGES - CONTRIBUTIONS

OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for unearmarked cash contributions to be used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination with relevant organizations in the United Nations system. For banking details, please contact the desk officers indicated below. OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.

Updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available electronically in the above-mentioned Financial Tracking Website.

Together with further information on other ongoing emergencies, this situation report is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:
Mr. Erik Haegglund/Mr. Soichi Nakajima
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 32 99/ 4034

Mr. Rudi Müller/Ms. Caroline Péguet
Direct Tel. 41-22-917 3131 / 1836

Press contact:
(GVA) Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo, direct Tel. +41-22-917 31 60
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-917 367 51 26
(N.Y.) Mr. Brian Grogan, direct Tel. +1-212-963 11 43

Srilanka - Field Report

Source : Relief Web

Situation

As of 31 December, 28,508 people were reported dead, 5,023 are still missing. 804,599 persons are displaced. Approximately, 80,000 houses were destroyed.

Requirements

The Government’s Task Force has requested that the manifests for all incoming shipments of aid be sent to them in advance to ensure efficient processing and to facilitate distribution. There have been some bottlenecks at the airport, which has limited warehouse space. The manifests need to be sent in advance to: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of External Resources: der@foreign.gov.mv, fax: +960 317 592 and copy to: The Aid Coordination Unit: rshareef@dhivehinet.net.mv. UNDP Focal Point for Logistics: shaheem.razee@undp.org

List of urgently needed items / equipments for restoring water supply facilities: bladder (foldable tanks) of varying capacity and quick assembly steel tanks – 10 to 60 m3 capacity with tank stands; small package water purification plants with generators; flange adaptors (restrained joints) suitable for DI/ PE pipe connections 250 – 500 mm range dia pipes (10 Nos from each size); 100-500 mm dia. range ductile iron wide range coupling (bigger numbers of smaller sizes); water disinfection kits and ceramic water filters, taps, stands, etc.; engine driven portable well cleaning equipments (pumps of 10-30m head); portable generators and flood lights; foldable tents for working crews; life jackets and rubber dinghies; safety harness equipment; general tool kits and equipment for quick repair and maintenance work.

The Disaster Relief Network (DRN) has set up operation at the airport in Colombo and signed an agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to receive all incoming relief commodities. Agencies / organisations sending relief commodities to Sri Lanka are requested to provide the following information on the virtual OSOCC in addition to the clearance request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The information required by DRN is: cargo specification, weight and quantity, origin, consignee, a contact point of the receiving agency in Sri Lanka and instructions on how to contact, specification if commodities are for common use or for specific agency.

Priority needs: safe drinking water, proper sanitation, shelter, clothing, transport vehicles, drugs and medical supplies.

Import procedures for relief commodities to Sri Lanka are available on the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org).

UN Response

Four groups of UN staff volunteers have been sent to the districts of Galle, Hambantota, Kalatura and Matara to assist the local authorities to coordinate the relief effort. Two more groups will be sent 1 January 2005 to Ampara and Batticaloa. UNDAC members have been deployed together with UN Volunteers in the more problematic districts to assist them in the initial coordination phase.

Dispatch of WFP food commodities so far has reached around 140,000 people.

The following website aims to be a support for relief and reconstruction efforts: Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami (http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~lareef/tsunami/)

Indonesia - Field Report

Source : Relief Web

Situation and Constraints

As of today, the Government reported that the death toll stands at 80,000. Thousands of injured people are being treated at public and field hospitals. 108,000 persons are reported to be sheltering in emergency tents. Some camps have been established but are in a poor condition and are not well managed.

The health authority reported yesterday that cholera could reach epidemic proportions particularly in the camps. Therefore, volunteers are expected to equip themselves with masks, vitamins, gloves, mineral water, personal hygiene kits, candle, and torches.

There is a large number of incoming international assistance to Aceh via Medan. Aceh airport has limited capacity to receive airplanes and (up to C130, C17, IL76) and unload shipment. The International Humanitarian Partnership will be deploying a 20-ton forklift which should be operational as of Sunday.

The focus of relief operation is still limited to Banda Aceh. Aid delivery to the west and east coast remains problematic due to resources in the field and security. All UN staff and most of international NGOs based in Aceh are not allowed to travel outside Banda Aceh for security reasons.

Communications is a serious constraint. Only radio VHF with repeater and iridium satellite phones are working. Agencies should seriously consider bringing their own communications.

Lack of fuel is a problem in Aceh. Only one gas station is functioning in Aceh. IOM has sent 26 trucks and fuel to Banda Aceh and is planning to purchase more trucks for transportation within the province.

Requirements

The authorities indicated today that the following items are urgently needed: 1) Ready-to-eat food, 2) clean water, 3) medical teams with supplies such as oxygen, injections, gloves, masks, body bags, 4) fuel, 5) volunteers for evacuation, 6) logistic distribution, 7) setting up public kitchen, and 8) debris clearing services.

National Response

The Government has formulated a three-stage action plan which consists of: 1) emergency measures (December 2004 to January 2005), 2) rehabilitation measures (February 2005 to February 2006) and 3) reconstruction measures (2005 to 2006).

UN Response

The UN Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC) has been established. WHO has sent four doctors to Medan, and will work closely with the Ministry of Heath. UNICEF has sent a medical team and non food items (health emergency kits, family kit and tarpaulins). UNESCO is preparing a joint assessment mission with the Ministry of Education to assess the damages to schools, and develop an early warning system. UNFPA decided to send two international medical staff and are also planning rehabilitation of health facilities. On-Site Operation Coordination Centres (OSOCC) in Jakarta and in Banda Aceh are being established with support from UNDAC team to track in-coming assistance and coordinate assessments and distribution of relief items. IOM has developed a network of coordination of volunteers in Aceh through local NGOs such as Aceh Kita and Wahli. UNHCR is organizing airlifts to Aceh to provide more than 400 tonnes of shelter and other emergency supplies from its warehouse in Copenhagen and Dubai for this weekend. WFP estimated the total number of potential beneficiaries for food at 1 million.

Updated Burma Death Toll

We have got very few information (if any) from Burma. Thanks to our reader's email for this bit of information:

"These figures are according to the latest report of IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross) that was released on 30 December. Rescue officials say that the list is only a rough one and warned that the number of casualties could increase with time, especially at Coco Islands and Pashu Islands, off the southwest coast of Burma, as the situations there are not yet known clearly."

Total deaths they are reporting so far is 260.

Source : Democratic Voice of Burma

Tzu Chi helps tsunami victims fleeing Aceh to Medan

Source : Relief Web

The Medan Chapter of the Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation set up a reception center at an Indonesian military base in Medan on Dec. 29 to help victims fleeing the tsunami-ravaged Ache Province to Medan.

Tzu Chi volunteers provided daily necessities and first-aid medicines at the reception center, which is open from morning till 1 a.m. The volunteers also helped transport the victims to stay with their relatives. For those who have no relatives in Medan, the volunteers sent them to the Medan reception facility and gave emergency cash to them.

In the past three days, Tzu Chi volunteers have helped hundreds of victims to settle down in Medan. Many victims told the volunteers that they would never return to Aceh, where they described as a "heart-breaking place."

Meanwhile, 22 Jakarta-based Tzu Chi volunteers and an eight-member crew from the Taipei-based Tzu Chi Da Ai TV have arrived in Banda Aceh, capital of Aceh Province, by Dec. 31 to make preparation for large-scale distribution of relief goods and providing medical care. A group of cooks will reach there soon.

More : Here

Situation in Burma's capital still edgy after tremors

Situation in Burma's capital still edgy after tremors
- DVB

The situation in Rangoon is still edgy after reports of imminent aftershocks emerged after the major quake occurred on 26 December.

A local resident in Botahtaung Township told DVB that people in the capital dare not live in their homes inside the high-rising buildings and camping out on the streets since they heard on 30 December that there could be more aftershocks.

He added that people have been very worried by the reports because the buildings are not built properly and some cracks have been discovered in some buildings after the major quake struck on 26 December.

At nearby Sanchaung Township and other townships, many people offered candle lights at their homes in the afternoon of 30 December, to ward off evil as a respected Buddhist monk, the Abbot of Thamanya prophesised that there could be more dangers and plagues as he learnt it from his dreams.

Some people are planning to organise prayer and sutra reciting events so as to ward off evil.

Also: Summary of latest situation in Burma after the quake

No help for thousands homeless in Sri Lankan rebel-held area

No help for thousands homeless in Sri Lankan rebel-held area
by Deborah Pasmantier

Excerpts:
SAMPUR, Sri Lanka, Dec 30 (AFP) - Isolated at the end of a badly rutted road, this area controlled by Tamil Tiger rebels has had nearly no aid for 20,000 people left homeless by tsunamis that devastated Sri Lanka.
It takes a difficult, five-hour drive on dirt roads that pass through an army checkpoint and a Tamil Tiger post to get to rebel-held Sampur, about 160 kilometres (100 miles) southeast of Trincomalee.

Here 371 people were killed by the tsunamis that battered the Indian Ocean on Sunday. Another 200 have disappeared and about 20,000 are without shelter, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) say.

Since the assault, this region has lived almost solely on stocks first intended for victims of recent floods.

On Wednesday a non-government organistaion close the rebel group finally despatched 10 trucks of food and medicines. But no other aid trucks have made it to Sampur

"We cannot last more than two days," said S. Elinan, a Tamil Tiger official here.

In the two refugees camps, food stocks are low. In one housing 115 families, there is a high risk of cholera, says a representative, Seelvar Atam.

"There is only one toilet, some cases of diarrhea and fever and we lack medicines," Atam said.

The closest hospital is more than an hour away by road; the government dispensary is closed because the doctor is on holiday, said an employee, T.B. Layanther.

"It is clear" this area is getting less aid than others affected by the tsunami because it is controlled by the LTTE, Elinan charged.

In two cases, the army stopped vehicles carrying aid for ethnic Tamils and seized the contents, he said. Other vehicles were diverted to Sinhalese areas, he said. There was no way to confirm the claims.

The guerrillas admitted on Monday they could not handle the situation alone but the government "has not yet sent the aid it said it would," Elinan said.

"Help has not arrived because the government has not build a road for it to get here," he added. "That is why we are fighting."

Despite the shortages, there is a sense of discipline among the people of Sampur, shattered by 30 years of civil war that has killed more than 60,000 people across the island.

Food is shared out by the LTTE in camps organised by village chiefs, while doctors move from hamlet to hamlet, Atam said.

Despite the allegations against the military, the tragedy does appear to have forced a change of attitude among the soldiers.

More : Here

America unleashes a tidal wave of assistance

Source: Drudge Report (www.drudgereport.com)

Uncle Sam has increased its aid assistance to $350 Million. Yes, that's $350 million, not $35 million. The gesture will not be forgotten by the world.

For just one brief moment, let us put our political differences behind us and thank the USA for making this possible.

"No need for greed and hunger/A brotherhood of man"

Photographs of Material Distribution in Chennai

Folks,

Here are some photographs of the distribution of materials in Srinivasapuram, Foreshore Estate, Chennai by volunteers on Dec 31, 2004.

Photographs

Doctors Without Borders - The Aceh Report

Doctors Without Borders Begins Providing Aid in Aceh, Northern Sumatra
Source : Doctors Without Borders

Excerpts:
New York/Brussels, December 29, 2004 – Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) today began providing medical aid to people in Aceh, Indonesia, a region devastated by Sunday’s earthquake. MSF is the first international organization to begin working in the area. A team of eight people, including three nurses and two doctors, arrived in Banda Aceh yesterday and set up a clinic in a camp for displaced people.

“When we arrived yesterday evening in Banda Aceh we found the town half destroyed,” says Sabine Rens, Head of Mission for MSF in Indonesia. “Three camps for displaced people have been set up in the town. As well as running a clinic, we are also providing medical support to one of the hospitals.”

The population of Aceh has received no international humanitarian aid at all since the disaster struck four days ago. “Aceh is undoubtedly one of the regions most severely affected by the earthquake,” says Jan Weuts, coordinator of MSF emergency response in Brussels. “The epicentre of the earthquake occurred less than 250 kilometers away from the town of Banda Aceh, and a series of aftershocks hit less than 100 kilometers away. It is extremely important that we get aid to affected people as quickly as possible, which means bringing in medical materials, drugs, and supplies to improve water and sanitation.”

Read more here:
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/pr/2004/12-29-2004.shtml
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/31/asia.quake/index.html

Update from AID Chennai 5

Update From Balaji: [Dec 31, 8AM IST]

AID Chennai Office Coordination: Entire relief coordination happening thro AID Chennai office. After collecting relief materials, trucks are leaving everyday from Chennai office. 6-7 trucks everyday along with volunteers.

Core volunteers have gone to set up centers in Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Kanchi. Working with a number of local organizations. Hardest hit areas areas are Cuddalore, Nagipatnam. AID Chennai has set up 5 centers, which act as coordination points. AID volunteers are manning the centers. Feedback from these centers regarding what is needed is conveyed to the 5 centers and from there to the office in Chennai.

List of things required is changing everyday. Currently the volunteers are engaged in debris clearance, bodies are being cleared. Wherever the govt is working and providing relief AID is not working in those villages to avoid duplication of effort. In remote villages, AID is concentrating its effort.

In Chennai, Nagipattinam things are going well. In Pondicherry govt is doing a good job with R&R work.500 Cr rupees has been sanctioned for long term relief by the govt. In order to better utilise the resources the idea is to form cooperatives and provide some boats to these cooperatives. There is also a need to reconstruct houses, and provide means to getting back their livelihood. Ensure that boats are given to cooperative so that people can use it together. All the relief groups should come together to form a collective. In Kanyakumari, the NGO’s have come together to form collective. In Nagai and Cuddalore yet to form. Relief work will go up and relief support will go down over the next few weeks. Currently AID Chennai and TNSF can handle relief efforts only in TN. AID Bangalore and AID Chennai are coordinating efforts in TN.

Costs of boats. Hunting for cheapest boats. Someone needs to coordinate this effort.Pucca low cost housing is a requirement.Regarding NFF proposal, Kanyakumari already has few groups working and is well covered. AID Chennai can use the money that has been raised for integrated development. AID is also working in places where TNSF and AID did not work before.

Start with relief mode. Each boat costs 1.5-2 lakh/boat. Idea is to form cooperatives and give boats to a few villages. Pressurise govt to give money to buy boats in other villages.TNSF is also helping AID.There are some doctors on the ground. More are needed. Preventive efforts are on to prevent epidemic.

Recommendation for doctors from here – wait for a week. Start a registry for doctors. Get info on how long they want to spend in the field, are they interested in traveling around? Public Health officials can send materials. Every camp needs to construct quick toilets.There is need for effective warning systems. The people are in relief camps set up by govt.

Money is mainly needed for travel, coordination, community kitchens,supplies etc.The people who are affected are mainly fisherfolk who are into shrimp farming.

New Tsunami Satellite Pictures

More satellite pictures of Tsunami has been released by National Remote Sensing Agency of India.

I have uploaded them at http://vimaln.blogspot.com so that the traffic does not swamp NRSA website making it slower.

Courtesy: National Remote Sensing Agency, Dept. of Space, Govt. of India

Appeal from U.S.-based Indonesia Solidarity Groups

Crossposted at Progressive Change for Tsunami Victims

Contacts::Michael Beer, NI, 202-244-0951 (w), 703-875-9482 (h)Karen Orenstein, ETAN, 202-544-6911 (w), 202-319-1711 (h), Bama Athreya, ILRF, 703-328-1964 (cell)

December 30 -- U.S.-based groups with a long record of experience in theregion today called on the Indonesian government to not let politicsoverride the needs of people in tsunami-stricken Aceh. The groups includethe East Timor Action Network (ETAN), International Labor Rights Fund(ILRF) and Nonviolence International (NI). Contact information for expertson the region available for interview is listed at the end of this advisory.

"Delays by the Indonesian government in allowing international access toAceh may have needlessly cost precious lives. The government's apparent opening of Aceh must continue. The government must cut through its bureaucratic red tape so aid can get through as quickly as possible. International and Indonesian organizations must have unrestricted access toAceh. International media must be free to report on conditions and reliefefforts. Strict limits on internationals' time in Aceh must be lifted,"said Michael Beer of NI.

"Politics must not be allowed to override the needs of the Acehnese peoplein this tragic time," he added. As many as 100,000 people may have been killed in the Indonesian provincesof Aceh and North Sumatra as a result of an earthquake and tsunami thatstruck the region on December 26. The government initially kept the international community at bay as it apparently debated whether to openAceh up to foreigners. The province had been almost entirely closed to anyinternational presence due to military operations there. The Indonesian government's response remains slow and uncoordinated. The groups urged aid organizations and agencies to work as closely as possible with local civil society groups and to resist Indonesian government and military attempts to close non-governmental local groups outof the process."

The high level of corruption in Indonesia, especially in Aceh, and thegreat distrust of Aceh's central government make it crucial that aid groupsbe allowed to distribute urgently needed food, medical supplies, and otherassistance outside of government channels, distributing aid directly andthrough local NGOs," said Karen Orenstein of ETAN. ETAN, ILRF, and NI further urged the government of Indonesia to allow Acehnese outside of Indonesia -- many of whom fled political repression --to return to Aceh, if they so choose, to seek their relatives and lovedones and assist the relief effort.

Their return should take place without burdensome visa restrictions and without repercussions. Finally, the groups pointed out that this tragedy caused by naturaldisaster comes on top of an already devastating human-created tragedy. Since May 2003, more than 2000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in Aceh while the province was under marital law and then a civilemergency. During a previous period of martial law from 1989 to 1998 some10,000 Acehnese perished. Despite the humanitarian catastrophe, there arestill reports of ongoing military operations against Acehnese rebels."We are gravely concerned about reports of cease-fire violations by the Indonesian military, who are allegedly attacking Acehnese guerillas insteadof focusing on the humanitarian disaster," said Bama Athreya of ILRF.

"The world must not forget that the people of Aceh have suffered massivehuman rights violations due to years of Indonesian military repression andguerilla operations by the Free Aceh Movement. Until very recently, the Indonesian government and armed forces had virtually sealed Aceh from anyforeign presence. The ceasefires declared by the Acehnese guerrillas and the Indonesian government this week are a crucial first step. All sides tothe decades-long conflict in Aceh must redouble efforts to find a peacefulsolution that strongly involves civil society," continued Athreya.

Two U.S.-based grassroots relief funds have been established for theearthquake/tsunami disaster in Aceh: Nonviolence International-USA, www.nonviolenceinternational.net and East Timor Action Network, www.etan.org. Funds raised by these groups will be sent directly to grassroots Acehnese humanitarian agencies and groups to save lives and relieve suffering. Bothhave the full backing of the expatriate Acehnese community in the U.S.

For interviews and other inquiries, media are advised to contact thefollowing U.S.-based experts on Aceh:Riva Syamsuddin, Acehnese activist and graduate of Syah Kuala University.Contact: 703-503-5272Munawar Zainal, Acehnese student activist with the Acheh Center inPennsylvania. Contact: 717-343-1598, Allan Nairn, award-winning independent journalist who has spent much timein Aceh, Indonesia and East Timor in the last few years. Contact:917-345-8020, Michael Beer, director of Nonviolence International (NI). The NI office inBanda Aceh was destroyed and several staff members remain missing. Beer hasbeen a frequent visitor to Aceh over the last 5 years. Contact:202-244-0951, 703-875-9482, Patrick McInnis, former staff in Aceh for Peace Brigades International andOxfam. McInnis served with the Carter Center as an election observer inAceh in October and is proficient in the local Acehnese language. Contact: 831-484-1318

ETAN advocates for democracy, justice and human rights for East Timor and Indonesia.

The ILRF is a Washington, DC-based human rights advocacy organization whichhas long been active on behalf of labor rights in developing countries andwhich has brought suit against Exxon Mobil under the Alien Tort Claims Act for aiding and abetting torture and crimes against humanity in Aceh. NI-USA is located in Washington, DC. Our affiliate in Aceh is the PeaceEducation Program that teaches conflict resolution and nonviolence toIslamic clerics and youth.
NI serves as a resource center for nonviolentmovements around the world.

DisasterID.com

Words can not described how we feel about India's tragedy.

After the World Trade Center we built www.disasterid.com. The function of
the program is to match found persons and items with those looking to aid in
identification efforts, and:

1.  Provides a platform for rescue workers to enter and house data regarding
found persons and items.
2.  For the general public to search said data for identification.
3.  For the general public to enter and house data of their missing persons.
4.  For rescue workers to search and match persons and items they found with
posted information.

We put it together with Interpol's Disaster Victim Identification form data points and with some review from DMORT.

We designed the backend database structure with a scaleable 'on the fly'
category creation tool; so as different identifying categories are realized,
administrators can create categories and sub-categories easily; so as varied
personal articles are recovered, structured data input is possible.

We built it out of frustration from 9/11 as a voluntary effort.  We were not
able to get any wide-scale adoption to it during the Trade Center tragedy.
We still believe that the very lengthy process of recovering items and
identifying persons from the World Trade Center would have been greatly
reduced.

We would like to offer the program to India to help in the recovery efforts,
but do not know how to proceed.  We would plan to redo the front page and
related site graphics and presentation to a world perceptive rather than the
current US brand.

Submitted Respectively,
Keith Mullin
keith@floit.com

Volunteer Registration Sites For Tsunami Help

http://www.aidboston.org/volunteer/
http://www.australianvolunteers.com/home/tsunami/help
http://timesfoundation.indiatimes.com/articleshow/47873005.cms

New Year Wishes During Tsunami Crisis

It's a tragic time, this New Years Eve. People are still coming to terms with the disaster, while others are trying to get on with their lives.

Please consider the profound grief that humanity is experiencing at this moment and respect the endless sorrow of people who are mourning.

This is an invitation to keep a moderate tone to all celebrations tonight, and spend a minute in silence in commemoration around midnight.

Peace to all

Best New Year Wishes
TsunamiHelp Team

Guidelines for working with separated children: Psychosocial Responses to the Sri Lankan Tsunami Disaster

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

The following is a draft set of guidelines compiled by the Psychosocial Support Programme of the IWTHI Trust (Tel: +94-11-4516408/+94-11-4515279; Email: pspcp@eol.lk)on 31st December 2004. The primary reference document from which this information was summarised was Separated Children: Care and Protection of Children in Emergencies A Field Guide. Save the Children Federation 2004. Please send comments or additions to these draft guidelines via the link at the bottom of this POST - or via email to the above address. These guidelines will be revised or updated as information comes in from other agencies active on the ground in Sri Lanka.

 For children, relationships with a significant adult (a family member, teacher, aunt etc.) are very important. Being able to trust at least one adult who can take care of them can pull them through stressful times.

 It is not always the event that can have a psychological and emotional impact on the child, but the lack of emotional support, separation from parents or family, taken out of familiar context and community, and grief and distress of parents and adults.

 Do not remove or separate children from family members. Do not separate siblings. If family members are missing try to keep the child with someone he/she knows and trusts and support that caregiver and child.

 Identify informal care systems that exist in the community (relatives or neighbours taking care of children), and find out if traditional care systems have been affected by crises/disaster.

 Moving a child from such informal care arrangements provided by the community or other family members could bring additional distress. A child should be moved only if the assessment shows that the child is suffering from emotional or physical abuse, exploitative labour, neglect, poor care or abandonment from these new care givers.

 Provide economic, social and emotional support to these informal arrangements so that the child can remain in familiar surroundings and within relationships that they trust.

 Children should be informed of care arrangements and be consulted in decision-making processes about their care.

 Be honest and open about the disaster. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know” and keep discussions about the their experiences open and honest.

 In cases of children being separated from family members or siblings collect as much information as possible from the child, from the people the child was found with, and relatives/friends/school teachers. Give this information to groups documenting and working on missing people. If possible take a photograph of the child and attach to the file.

 It is important to document all possible information as soon as the child is found. Please register separated children immediately with relevant government authorities such as child probation officers and local police stations. Measures are currently underway by Probation & Childcare and National Child Protection Authories to support tracing and care for such children. Registering children is ESSENTIAL for successful care in the coming days and weeks. More information on these measures will be provided as soon as they are available. Record the following information: Name and pet name(whatever the child remembers), Age, Sex, Address or Village name, Names of family members, relatives (in the area and outside the area), friends and neighbours, Name of school, occupation of parents, where the child is located currently and where he/she may be moved.

 Before moving the child anywhere, show the child to adults and children from the area that may recognise him/her.

 Establish a location where adults can also provide information about missing children and maintain detailed database on this.

 If children are being moved for some unavoidable reason provide children with identity tags (with the above information), provide drivers of vehicles transporting children with rosters of names and other details of children, register children in location they are being moved from and give clear information about where they are being moved to. At all times, attempt to keep children close to their homes or at least within a major town in the district.

 Try to involve older children and adolescents in activities carried out in the camp/displaced community – such as distributing goods, documenting information, caring for younger children etc.

 All notices and information provided should be in simple language so that a child of 12 years can understand and follow it.

 Be sensitive to special needs or adolescent girl children, such as menstruation, special clothing and undergarments, toilet facilities and safety.

 Try to maintain a daily routine (however basic such as regular eating and sleeping times) for the child as much as possible.

 If someone comes to claim a child, make sure that the child is able to identify the person. In all cases, take down information (ID number, address, contact details) of the person claiming the child prior to handing the child over. Remember that some people may be trying to take advantage of the situation to exploit such vulnerable children.

 Normal stress reactions when faced with crises situations or disasters:

 Anxiety, sleeplessness, grief, shock, emotio nal numbness or expression is part of any normal human response. Important: These are normal and expected reactions from children and should not be treated as a major psychological trauma or pathological reactions needing professional help.

 Respect children’s responses and allow them time and opportunities to express them in a way that they are comfortable with.

 Attend to immediate needs of the children and be supportive.

 Be sensitive to children with special needs, such as children with disabilities.

 Be kind, calm, and attempt to explain everything that is being done, even if you are not sure that the child/children understand you.

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

From Habitat International Coalition website, crossposted at TsunamiHelp:

Five days after the tsunami of 26 December, news continues to pour in of increasing number of deaths and destruction of homes and livelihoods in South and South East Asia. UN agencies, governments and civil society groups all over the world have launched several relief and rehabilitation initiatives. Unfortunately due to the massive scale of destruction, there is an urgent need to step up efforts.

While there is an immediate need to contribute towards relief operations which includes provision of drinking water, food, blankets and medical assistance, we also need to keep in mind that reconstruction and restoration of homes and livelihoods, particularly of fishing communities who have suffered the most, will be one of our biggest challenges over the next few months. At the South Asia Regional Programme of Habitat International Coalition - Housing and Land Rights Network (HIC-HLRN), we are in touch with partner organisations in affected areas and trying to raise funds to meet relief and rehabilitation needs. In New Delhi, we are a part of a consortium of concerned organisations and individuals that has come together to form the Delhi Tsunami Relief Committee to coordinate assistance and support to local organisations involved in the relief efforts. The Committee has agreed to focus on the most severely affected areas of the Andaman and Nicobar islands and in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Committee has also agreed to focus primarily on rehabilitation of the displaced and restoration of livelihoods.

For those interested in contributing to this effort, listed below are a few options

1. Delhi Tsunami Relief Fund,Indian Social Institute, 10, Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003, India
2. Association for India's Development (AID), P.O. Box F, College Park, MD-20741, USA.

Association for India's Development (AID) working among affected communities in Tamil Nadu in southern India. Contributions to AID can be made through secure on-line credit-card deductions from AID's website: http://survivors.aidindia.org where further details and updates will also be made available. Please indicate that your contribution is for the "Relief and Rehabilitation Fund". Contributions can also be sent by check made payable to "AID" mailed to: Please indicate "Relief and Rehabilitation Fund" in the check memo.
In India, cheques for AID can be mailed to AID-India, Old No 132, New No 242, Avvai Shanmugam Road, Gopalapuram, Chennai - 600 086, Tamil Nadu, India.

3. Our partners in Sri Lanka - Institute of Social Development is engaged in relief efforts in the eastern province of Sri Lanka and are in urgent need for funds. We request you to kindly support their efforts. For details contact K.Yogeswary at kandyisd AT sltnet D-O-T lkFor questions on relief efforts in India and Sri Lanka or on contributions to the Delhi Tsunami Relief Committee and Association for India's Development please contact Malavika Vartak at mvartak AT hic-sarp D-O-T org or Vishal Thakre at vthakre AT hic-sarp D-O-T org We will continue to send you regular updates on relief and reconstruction efforts and on ways in which you can contribute.

HIC-HLRN will continue to work with affected communities beyond immediate relief, and into the second stage where will seek to ensure that the human rights approach is adopted in all rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. We look forward to your supportIn solidarityMiloon Kothari, Priti Darooka, Malavika Vartak, Shivani Chaudhry, Vishal Thakre South Asia Regional Programme (SARP) Habitat International Coalition Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN)B-28 Nizamuddin East New Delhi 110 013 IndiaTel/Fax: 00 91 11 2435 8492 web: www.hic-sarp.org

Appeal from Delhi Tsunami Relief Committee

From Habitat International Coalition website, crossposted at Progressive Change for Tsunami Victims:

Five days after the tsunami of 26 December, news continues to pour in of increasing number of deaths and destruction of homes and livelihoods in South and South East Asia. UN agencies, governments and civil society groups all over the world have launched several relief and rehabilitation initiatives. Unfortunately due to the massive scale of destruction, there is an urgent need to step up efforts.

While there is an immediate need to contribute towards relief operations which includes provision of drinking water, food, blankets and medical assistance, we also need to keep in mind that reconstruction and restoration of homes and livelihoods, particularly of fishing communities who have suffered the most, will be one of our biggest challenges over the next few months.
At the South Asia Regional Programme of Habitat International Coalition - Housing and Land Rights Network (HIC-HLRN), we are in touch with partner organisations in affected areas and trying to raise funds to meet relief and rehabilitation needs. In New Delhi, we are a part of a consortium of concerned organisations and individuals that has come together to form the Delhi Tsunami Relief Committee to coordinate assistance and support to local organisations involved in the relief efforts. The Committee has agreed to focus on the most severely affected areas of the Andaman and Nicobar islands and in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Committee has also agreed to focus primarily on rehabilitation of the displaced and restoration of livelihoods.

For those interested in contributing to this effort, listed below are a few options
1. Delhi Tsunami Relief Fund,
Indian Social Institute,
10, Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003, India
2. Association for India's Development (AID),
P.O. Box F, College Park,
MD-20741, USA.

Association for India's Development (AID) working among affected communities in Tamil Nadu in southern India. Contributions to AID can be made through secure on-line credit-card deductions from AID's website: http://survivors.aidindia.org/ where further details and updates will also be made available. Please indicate that your contribution is for the "Relief and Rehabilitation Fund". Contributions can also be sent by check made payable to "AID" mailed to: Please indicate "Relief and Rehabilitation Fund" in the check memo.

In India, cheques for AID can be mailed to AID-India, Old No 132, New No 242, Avvai Shanmugam Road, Gopalapuram, Chennai - 600 086, Tamil Nadu, India.

3. Our partners in Sri Lanka - Institute of Social Development is engaged in relief efforts in the eastern province of Sri Lanka and are in urgent need for funds. We request you to kindly support their efforts. For details contact K.Yogeswary at kandyisd AT sltnet D-O-T lk
For questions on relief efforts in India and Sri Lanka or on contributions to the Delhi Tsunami Relief Committee and Association for India's Development please contact Malavika Vartak at mvartak AT hic-sarp D-O-T org or Vishal Thakre at vthakre AT hic-sarp D-O-T org
We will continue to send you regular updates on relief and reconstruction efforts and on ways in which you can contribute.

HIC-HLRN will continue to work with affected communities beyond immediate relief, and into the second stage where will seek to ensure that the human rights approach is adopted in all rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.

We look forward to your support
In solidarity
Miloon Kothari, Priti Darooka, Malavika Vartak, Shivani Chaudhry, Vishal Thakre

South Asia Regional Programme (SARP)Habitat International Coalition Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN)B-28 Nizamuddin EastNew Delhi 110 013IndiaTel/Fax: 00 91 11 2435 8492
web: www.hic-sarp.org

Draft Guidelines For The Media On Reporting On The Tsunami Disaster

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

The following draft guidelines have been provided to the Psychosocial Support Programme of the IWTHI Trust (Tel: +94 11 4516408/ + 94 11 4515279; Email: pspcp@eol.lk/ pspdat@eol.lk). Please feel free to send in comments via email or the link provided below. The guidelines will be updated as we receive comments or additional insights from those active on the ground in Sri Lanka.

# Remember that the disaster is a national issue so that partisan or other vested interests must not be considered in reporting and/or commentary…

# Remember that the disaster is regional in scope so that the relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation work must be placed in context when reporting and/or commenting…

# Remember that the disaster is international in the attention it has and will receive so that reporting and/or commenting will reflect the state of the nation, affect its national developmental agenda, and impact the responses of the global community in crucial matters of aid and relief…

# Report and/or comment responsibly, reasonably and fairly keeping in mind not to sensationalise, speculate or generalise…

# Report and/or comment equitably keeping in mind that the people affected are from all races, religions, communities and geographical areas…

# Report and/or comment accurately yet positively keeping in mind the critical and crucial role that the media can play in the national effort to restore, reconstruct and rehabilitate Sri Lanka…

# Report and/or comment sensitively keeping in mind that lives have been lost, livelihoods irreparably damaged, property irrevocably lost and future prospects inestimably compromised…

# Reporting and/or comment with an emphasis of expectation that normal recovery will eventually take place for communities that have been affected – keeping in mind that emphasising losses will increase the sense of hopelessness and despair that people feel…

# Report and/or comment in ways that are reassuring and empathic about people and their current situations – keeping in mind that people are normally expected to exhibit stress reactions at this time; as also that being confused, sad and anxious are natural signs of shock and stress… as are crying, screaming or anger; and also that these are not signs of psychiatric impact or trauma…

# Report and/or comment humanely keeping in mind that people in these circumstances may still retain a sense of hope and humour, and may be active in reorganising their lives; as also that it is not a sign of ignorance or indifference if people who are affected smile or appreciate what they do have left…

# Report and/or comment while being mindful of human dignity while remaining sensitive and aware of the repercussions of depicting mutilated and decomposed bodies, as family members of the deceased who may view these in the media could be further distressed…

# Resolve to be sensitive in interviewing people keeping in mind not to ask them unnecessary personal questions, or force them to talk; as also allowing them to share what they would like to, even if it doesn’t make ‘good copy’…

Provided to the PSP of the IWTHI Trust by a Journalist who wishes to remain anonymous

31st December 2004

From the Blog of the Psychosocial Support Program, Sri Lanka

AID India hosts a website for volunteer registration - Interested Please Register

AID India has hosted a web page for volunteers where they can provide their contact and experience details.

If you are a interested volunteer please register at:
http://www.aidboston.org/volunteer/

Finding Information in the Blog

Search
There have been tons of information being posted on this blog so if you are looking for specific information, use the search facility on the Upper Right Corner of this page.

Wikis
To help find information better, we have created Wikis. They are better organized and categorized into Aid Agencies, Missing & Found, Health & Safety etc.

Sublogs
If you would like to volunteer yourself for the relief work, we are running a sister blog TsunamiHelpNeeded.Blogspot.com where you can find people who are looking for help and get in touch with them. If you are someone who need help, we are running a sister blog TsunamiHelpOffered.BlogSpot.com where we can post your information. For find Missing people, go to our sister blog TsunamiMissing.BlogSpot.com. For helplines/enquires go to our sister blog TsunamiEnquiry.BlogSpot.com. For news updates, our sister blog is TsunamiUpdates.BlogSpot.com.

Comments/Suggestions/Questions
Suggestions/Links go here. Your questions/info to the bloggers go here.

Volunteers
We are being swamped with offers to volunteer with our blog and Wiki. We can't thank you enough for all the offers. We are unable to respond to all of them. We will contact you if your help is needed. Please visit our volunteer Getting Started Wiki before you contact us.

FROM PUNE : 31ST DECEMBER

WISH YOU GOODLUCK IN THE NEW YEAR- FRIENDS, BLOGGERS TEAM, DONORS AND CONTRIBUTORS. LET'S KEEP THE EFFORT GOING! VIJAYA
Tsunami Disaster: MAITRI Response
Appeal: No. 3 : 31st December 2004…….. 1110 hrs
Light a candle in the gathering darkness…
You all are aware about the disaster caused by Tsunami in Asia. Media is updating you about it and you must have gone through our earlier appeals.
Our volunteers, who are trained in working in similar difficult situations, are now in the affected area around the coastline of Tamil Nadu. They worked in Chennai slums for a while, distributed basic materials such as rice packets and blankets collected in Pune and helped the work of cleaning the environment. They are now moving towards more needy villages across the coastline where there is need to provide immediate relief. Thanks for your support till now.
What is the situation now?
Rescue operations are still on ….. finding out missing people is underway ….. people are living in temporary shelters without basic amenities… safe drinking water facilities need to be built and properly maintained …. That is the top priority….though food is being supplied there is a growing danger of epidemics as sanitation situation is appalling … basic health care needs to be provided…. Trauma counselling needs to be organized to ensure that people don’t get further demoralised.…. Temporary housing needs to be provided ….. …… children, aged, pregnant women and mothers need special care ….
Who is doing what?
Government machinery is beginning to get organized….. International Aid agencies are assessing the situation, providing critical care…. The army is being mobilised…… there is a serious shortage of experienced personnel having training in disaster management …. the demand for volunteers is going to be enormous……….. now and later…………
What can we do?
Though Government machinery and International Aid Agencies have might, it is not sufficient. We, civil society, also have an important role.
MAITRI, who has clear mandate in working in disasters, and has some trained and experienced volunteers who worked after Bhuj Earthquake, is working towards making some difference.
We propose to help the rehabilitation process by providing temporary shelters with basic amenities at very specific and needy locations. We need to think of next phase and plan well and while doing so we intend to work with local non-Governmental organizations who know the situation better. With this we believe we could also influence the efforts of Government and International Donor Agencies.
Do not think that you cannot do anything, you certainly can make a difference. We cannot sit and watch this horrifying situation. Here is what you can do……….
If you know about basic health care, first aid, setting up quick water and sanitation facilities, can speak in Tamil and can spend at least 10-15 days, then we need your time right NOW! Contact us immediately. All volunteers will be selected and oriented by trained emergency relief experts before they leave.
If you know people who have these skills set and are willing to work in most difficult situations, ask them to get in touch with us.
Share this mail with your friends, talk to them and encourage them to come forward and give us your feedback or if any suggestions you have.
If you know somebody in Srilanka, who can help our volunteers then let us know. If possible we are trying to arrange technical and trained volunteers to the most needy situation.
We need to send rice to the affected……….. in 500 gram sealed packets for easy distribution………
We need blankets……………….
If you can share some of these financial requirements, send us your contribution. Our presence in the field will ensure that your contribution makes a difference in the lives of people. Send your cheques or drafts, in favour of "MAITRI"
to
‘Kalyan’,32, Natraj Society, Karvenagar, PUNE 411 052.
You contribution in kind can be handed over to our volunteers at Padale Palace, near Nal Stop, off Karve Road between 1700 hrs and 2000 hrs….. every day…….. the moment we get one truck load we will dispatch the same to the affected areas………..
Contact us at
vinitat@vsnl.com or jayuanil@vsnl.net
Vinita: 094225 21702 or Jayashree 098231 38888
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE………… A SMALL CONTRIBUTION FROM YOU WILL MEAN A LOT TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST ALL HOPE……………

How is Somalia tackling Tsunami? - Updates

Courtesy : Somali Net

Somalia:UN agencies appeal for help for tsunami-affected communities

Somali leaders plan relief fund

U.N. Struggles to Get Aid to Somali Town

200 killed, 50,000 displaced in Somalia due to tidal waves

UN Fills The Vacuum in Somalia - No Working Govt in Somalia

Somalia wave victims 'forgotten' by international community

Tsunami devastates Somali

Please add comments if there are any specific funds or aid agencies which are contributing to the relief work in somalia.

If you have any info on specific ways in helping somalian tsunami victions
please post you suggestion here

Rockin' up Tsunami Relief

The popular rap-metal band Linkin Park is leading a charity organization to raise funds for Tsunami relief. Full points to the band for helping build awareness among their large (and global) fan base. If, as they say in their press release, each one of their fans can donate just ten dollars...

NOW would be a good time to contact your favorite band/artist through his or her website. Write to them, write to their labels and band's management company. Urge them to donate.

Rock 'n Roll ain't noise pollution, right?

P.S.: Jackie Chan and Jet Li have similarly paved the way for actors to get in the act. So, if you prefer, write to your favorite film star.

Update on Sri Lanka's Impact: TRO

TRO has a detailed report on the status of aid efforts in LTTE held areas in Sri Lanka:

Excerpts:

Districts	Displaced	Deaths	Injured	Situation
Amparai	20000	4200	300	Rescue Operation Continuing
Batticaloa	118000	1980	2100	Rescue Operation Continuing
Trinocomalle	88000	1660	11417	Rescue Operation Continuing
Mullitivu	97000	1480	3800	Rescue Operation Continuing
Jaffna	110000	1700	1800	Rescue Operation Continuing
Mannar	6000	Nil	17	Rescue Operation Continuing
Total	439000	11020	19434

Report From Cuddalore district - Bhoomika Trust

Reported By Vanniarajan Chellappan (vrajan@cisco.com)

Volunteers of Bhoomika Trust had visited Parangipettai and surrounding areas of Cuddalore district on 29th/30th December. We visited several hamlets like Devanampattinam, Pachaiankuppam, Selambimankalam and a few villages on the road to Parangipettai. Some observations:

· By this time state government officials - revenue, public health and police have been able to reach out to these areas and establish relief operations
· There is a glut of some unwanted relief material like used clothes which is piling up in large quantities with no use for it
· In general a large number of organizations, both government and NGOs are in the field without a formal co-ordination mechanism to optimize the relief efforts
· There is shortage of essentials like basic medicines, as well as food rations for families in some areas.
· The ground situation changes dynamically by the hour, which poses a real challenge in effectively providing relief to the affected people. A lot of volunteers are required on a dedicated basis to co-ordinate activities between different organizations and manage the situation
· Revenue officials have a good idea on the immediate requirements of the affected families, and it will be a good idea for NGOs to co-ordinate efforts thru them.
· Media reporting is somewhat negative and needs to be more constructively focused on ensuring relief and rehabilitation reaches people in an effective way. Television channels can do a lot more in this respect.
· We talked to Mr.Gnanaparakasam, Tahsildar who provided us with details of Ration/Kitchen kits required by each family. He informed us that the government has plans to provide such kits. NGOs can help by coordinating with revenue officials in each taluk/block/panchayat to make for gaps in the government efforts. Details:

Ration kit
Thoor Dhall,Mustard Seeds,Tea,Chilly Powder,Tamarind,Salt
Palm Oil,Sugar,Rice,Potato,Onion,Turmeric,Masala Powder
Biscuits

Kitchen kit
(Family)
Food plate,Tumbler,Rice ladle,Sambar ladle
Small Ladle,Knife,Rice pot,Rice pot lid,Sambar pot
Sambar pot lid,Water pot, Water Cans,Jerry can,Stove,Kerosene,Matches

Toilet kit
(Individual)
Soap,Washing soap,Toothpowder,Toothbrush,
(Family)
Bucket,Mug

Shelter
(Family)
Tarpaulin,Poles,Ropes,Bedsheet,Mat


COMMUNICATION DETAILS

BHOOMIKA TRUST SECRETARIAT
c/o REAL IMAGE, 7 B, 3rd STREET,BALAJINAGAR,ROYAPETTAH,CHENNAI – 600014,
TAMILNADU.(DIRECTIONS: At the 5 road Royapettah junction, take the Ehrlich Laboratory Road and turn on the 2nd right)
Phone:+91 44-52041505 Fax : +91 44-52060761 Email: bhoomikaindia@yahoo.co.in
Web: www.tsunami-india.org HOTLINE: 9840082793

Appeal from Voluntary Health Association, Kanayakumari

-- Below is an Appeal from VHA, Kanyakumari
Source : Charity Focus

Dear Friend,

Greetings to you

This is from Voluntary Health Association of Kanyakumari, VHAK, an NGO working among children, adolescents, women, youth and grownups in Kanyakumari district since 1994. Since then, it has formed and strengthened more than 7,000 neighbourhood parliaments among these groups.

The tsunami that occurred on December 26, 2004 has devastated many coastal villages in Kanyakumari district. The villages Collachel, Kottilpadu, Manakudy, Alikal, Pillaithope, Muttom and Kanyakumari are the most affected villages in this district. The entire village of Kottilpadu, Pillaithope and Alikal have been washed out. The people themselves are involved in removing the dead bodies and helping the people find out their loved ones both alive and dead. In Muttom Parish almost 365 houses were washed out, 42 bodies recovered, 20 more missing and a loss of 12 crores. In Colachel, Kottilpadu village the death toll is still rising. There is very less involvement from the Government be it in removing the debris or recovering the bodies from the rubble.

The children’s parliaments that functioned in the coastal villages have either lost their precious members or the members have lost their parents and become orphans. Almost 70 % of the dead were children.

The district administration is not well-equipped and trained to cope with this sort of calamities. As a result, they are in a state of stalemate whereupon they do not know what to do. It is the NGOs who are working hard to do some relief activities among the affected people. VHAK is one among them.

At present, on a short term basis, the staff and the volunteers of VHAK, numbering more than 500 would like to involve in undertaking emergency relief measures like medical help, supply food and clothing and temporary shelters.

We would like to obtain your cooperation in this respect in the form of financial assistance. Please let us know your response at the earliest time possible.

Please visit our website to confirm.

The amount could be sent to:

Voluntary Health Association of Kanyakumari (VHAK),

28, Kesari Street,
Nagercoil - 629 001
Kanyakumari dist., Tamilnadu

Bank details:
Account No: 397
Indian Overseas Bank
Vetturnimadam – 1043
Nagercoil – 629 003
Kanyakumari dist.,
Tamilnadu

May we hear from you.

Thanking you,

Sincerely yours,

Fr.M.J.Edwin,
Dr. Sr.Mercy Palatty,
A.Pushparaj,
VHAK

India - Situation Report XII

Situation Report 12 was released today at 16oo HRS Indian Standard Time.

Information has been updated, and rescue and relief measures of the GO India have been outline.

FCRA for Indian organisations

For organisations wanting to source funds from outside India, please see the FCRA clearance guidelines as released by the Ministry of Home Affairs as released today.

Relief Coordination Meeting in Tamilnadu - NGOs Meet

Source : Charity Focus

A major coordination meeting among several NGOs that have come together to coordinate relief efforts in Tamil Nadu (TN) will take place this SUNDAY, January 2, at 9:30am in Chennai. The details are summarized below by Raju and Geetha Rajagopal, members of Indians for Collective Action (ICA):

1. Several groups have come together here in Chennai, including ICA and AID [Association for India's Development], the corporates, Banyan, some people from IIT, other citizens of Chennai, etc, with Bhoomika Trust and AID coordinating. We intend today to touch base with ActionAid and we are already connected with efforts in Bangalore, Trichy, etc. We are DIRECTLY working with the leaders of the fishing community in the South. We are also in touch with what is going on in Andaman/Nicobar islands (somewhat).

2. The latest needs in TN are attached from the notes of yesterday’s meeting here(see below).

3. Please direct $ donations to ICA (which will come to Bhoomika Trust) or to AID (which will directly come to AIDers in Tamilnadu who have been doing a fantastic job in South TN and have themselves lost volunteers to the sea.)

4. $ donations should be earmarked for Earthquake-Tsunami Relief/Rehabilitation, giving us the flexibility to use for the medium term rehab efforts

5. A major meeting is being coordinated for Sunday 2nd. Jan at Chennai to discuss Rehab from the point of view of both Livelihood and Counseling Needs. It will be conducted by Dr. Lakshmi Ravikanth of Bhoomika, Dr. Prashantham of Christian Counseling Center of Vellore, Sushma Iyengar and Binoy Chatterje from Gujarat, who will have toured the South and may join us, reps from the fishing community, perhaps people from NIMHANS, NGOs from the south will join us.

If you know of anyone interested in this important effort, please direct them to the following address:
REAL IMAGE, 7B, 3rd Street,
Balaji Nagar, Chennai
Time: 9:30 am Date: Jan 2, 2005.

More Information : here

Appeal for Tsunami Victims in North Eastern Srilanka - Trousa, USA

Tamils Rehabilitation Organization, USA Appeals for Urgent
Help for Tsunami Victims in Northeastern Sri Lanka

Cumberland, MD – December 29, 2004 -- Northeastern Sri Lanka is one of
the worst affected area from Tsunamis. Death toll there now has reached
7,660 and is expected to increase. About eleven thousand has been admitted
with injuries. Nearly half million people are displaced. People of
Northeastern Sri Lanka who was affected the most by two decade of civil war
in SriLanka was left with no resources to cope with this unprecedented death
and destruction.

The northeastern coastline areas that took the brunt of the Tsunamis in
Sri Lanka are remote and predominantly within rebel held territories.
The local reports from independent news organizations and social welfare
organizations indicate that no external help has reached the affected
area. New York Times reported that Lalith Weerathunga, Secretary to
the Prime Minister, who is now heading the relief efforts in Sri Lanka
stated that he does not know what is going on in the northeast. Associated
Press today reported, citing international relief agency sources, that
SriLankan government officials have blocked passage of relief supplies.
Much of the international aid that is being poured into Sri Lanka is
expected to be channeled through the Government of Sri Lanka and
past experience suggest very little will reach the northeastern.
A member of the SriLankan parliament accused the Sri Lankan
government for “callously ignoring” the plights of the
people in Northeast.

Tamils Rehabilitation Organization, USA is working with local
organizations in Sri Lanka including the Sri Lankan charity TRO to
provide urgent relief work. Hundreds of temporary shelters have been set up by
TRO and urgent medical supplies are being dispatched. Team of
volunteer doctors is arriving in Northeast within next few days. As much of the
immediate medical and other relief supplies are available in local
market, monetary donations are most useful in the short term. We appeal the
American community to generously contribute to our Tsunami Relief Fund
as well as by donating medical and other essential supplies. Items that
are needed urgently include:

1. Medical supplies (Pain relievers, Antibiotics, Dressings, Suture
material, Disposable syringes)
2. Water purification tablets
3. Temporary shelters
4. Portable generators

TRO officials and board of directors are available for interview with
the media. Please use the contact information above for scheduling.

About Tamils Rehabilitation Organization, USA: Tamils Rehabilitation
Organization, USA was formed at the height of civil war in 1995 to help
civilians affected by the war in Sri Lanka. The organization has
funded various rehabilitation projects in the Northeastern Sri Lanka through
local charities and other social organization including children
orphanages and home for the elderly. Tamils Rehabilitation
Organization is a US IRS approved 501c3 charitable organization.


Contact:
M. Sritharan
Secretary, Tamils Rehabilitation Organization
517 Old Town Road, Cumberland MD 21502, USA
sree@webpci.com
(301) 320 6344
http://www.trousa.org

Aceh Needs Wireless Equipment ASAP

From Aceh Media Center

31 Dec 2004 02:51 pm

Friends,

The telecom links in Aceh are destroyed. It is impossible to access via cable although in Central there are ports for Internet access.

An alternative for internet access is wireless. All the shops and vendors are closed. We need the following equipment today:

1. 2 pairs of Wireless Lan complete with box, cable, antenna, connector or jumper and mounting.
2. 2 units of Ethernet converter to V. 35 with cable (usually RAD or ATI)

If you have the following stock please donate or lend it to us at the following address:

POSKO Jakarta di APJII/FTII
Cyber Building 11th floor, Jl. Kuningan Barat No 8
Phone +(62-21) 5296 0634, Fax +(62-21) 5296 0635, email: info@apjii.or.id

List of Urgent Needs in Aceh

1. Donations SHOULD NOT in the form of uncooked food including instant noodles because there is no clean water or kitchen tools to cook them. The most urgent needs are INFANT FOOD (excluding powder milk that needs very-rare clean water to mix it). Infant baby and ready-to-eat products (such as gerber or nestle products, etc.) would be very helpful. Liquid UHT milk would also be very useful. (THE POINT IS HEALTHY READY-TO-EAT FOOD)

2. Non-Food Donations, with the priorities as the following:

- Corpse packs
- Disinfectant
- Mask
The decomposed corpse spreading all over the places so that this condition has caused people feel hard to breathe. Thus, if these bodies would not be evacuated/isolated as soon as possible, they might cause few epidemics, particularly Cholera, happening there.

3. Other Non-Food donations that are still quite rare and very precious are the followings:
- palls/wide coverlets
- blankets
- underwear (particularly for female)
- sarong cloth
- infant milk bottle and pacifier for new-born infants

4. For medicines, medical tools & sanitation please contact the Ministry of Health and Independent Bodies on Health for further coordination in order to give effective function.

Other Detailed Needs:

1. Medicines

Cold/coughing/fever: Decolsin, capsule, Mixagrip, OBH Combi, OBH Combi Plus for adults and children, Vick Formula 44 for adults and children, new baby couch syrup, Termorex, Alphamol, Flukol Forte, Inza, Procold, Benadryl dmp child, Bodrex, Bodrexin, Panadol, Tempra , etc.

Diarrhea/ stomachache medicines such as Andicap, Oraline, Dialet, Diaform, Enterostop, Papaverin, etc.

First-Aid Medicines: Dansepta, Cotton, Alcohol, Rivanol, Mercurochrom, Sterile Cover, Abodine, Leukoplast, Betadine, Ban-aid

Antibiotic: Amoxilin 500 mg, Dry Syrup Amoxcillin, Dry Syrup Ampicillin, Salpenol

For Skin: Salicyl powder, PK, skin salve Dermal, cream Trimadan, Skin salve Genoint, Salve Nosib, Skin Salve of Kaki tiga brand, Skin Salve 88, Dactarin, Herocin powder, Ikamicetine, Fluocinonide Ointment, Kalpanax, Isondine Oinment, Kemicetine, etc.

Stomach: Antasida, Decolid, Cimetidine 200 mg, Ranitidine 150 mg, Promag.

Massage oil, Cajuput Oil, Balsam, Balpirik,

Other medicines/vitamins: vitamin B complex, vitamin c, vitamin c drop, vitamin B1, trisulfa, oxifrot, CTM, Aciclovir, Captopril, Cumachol, Rexibet 2, Dexamethasone, Sulfaferrosus, Aminophyline, Reserpine, Pyridoxine, Prednison, Frisium, Inoprilate, Incidalod, Erlamicetin, Kalmethason, Dextromethorphan pill, Furasemide, Tetracyclin 250.

2. Logistic

- Powder & Liquid Milk
- Sugar, coffee
- Noodles
- Rice
- Vitamins
- Supplementary Drink
- First-Aid packages

3. Communication Tools
- HT, Satellite phones and internet connection (GPRS or VSAT at once)
- Notebook

4. Miscellaneous

- Blankets
- Mattresses
- Floor Cleaning Agent
- Clothes
- Sandals
- Car Batteries (12 V)
- Dry Cell Battery (1.5 V)

5. Human Resource:

1. SAR, native people that understand SAR.
2. Logistic, understanding logistic distributions and needs of the victims.
3. Media, to help updating news and volunteers for general purposes (carrying things)
4. Communication Technicians

Source: Aceh Media Center

Coping with recovery of bodies

Recovery of Dead Bodies - How to Cope

"One consequence of humanitarian and recovery operations is coming in contact with bodies of people that have died under tragic or horrible circumstances. ..... "

Guidelines on rescue work. Very useful and crucial for volunteers.

Undertaking storm and water damage operations

Undertaking storm and water damage operations

Assessment of situation, preparing for response and other useful pointers.

Appeal From ASHA Seattle

Courtesy Joyeeta, 12/29/04:

All of you are aware of the devastating impact that Sunday's Tsunami has had on countries in South Asia. The killer tsunamis were triggered by a massive earthquake in Indonesia on Sunday, the worst in four decades. The tsunamis battered a huge swathe of South Asia, killing more than 47,000 people, including some 7,000 in South India. There are thousands still missing in the Andaman and Nicobar islands where help has not reached and thousands left without homes, food, shelter and even drinking water.

Relief work is underway with various countries sending in aid to help fight one of the worst natural disasters in recent history. Relief workers are working round the clock to help the victims. Asha Seattle realizes that as a socially responsible organization we need to extend a helping hand for this cause in whatever little way we can. All Asha chapters are coordinating an Ashe wide effort to help in the relief efforts. Asha Seattle is a chapter of Asha for Education, a non-profit voluntary organization dedicated to socio-economic change in India mainly using the medium of education. Our goal is to also address other development and human issues such as women's issues, health-care and related issues, whenever possible.

Currently we are in the process of collecting funds for relief work, to help the victims of this disaster and identifying areas which need urgent help. We urge you to please make your contributions to support the relief work. The victims of this disaster need our help right now. Away from home this is probably one of the only ways we can help. Below is the link to the contribution website created for the relief funds. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated.

http://www.ashanet.org/seattle/tsunamirelief.php

We are working closely with partner groups (NGO's) based in Chennai, including Asha-Chennai. Several Asha-Chennai volunteers are closely monitoring the relief work underway and we will work with them to channelize funds to suitable places they think needs immediate attention. We are also working with other known organizations such as the Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF), Environmental Support Group (ESG), and Chennai AID etc." Once the funds are distributed to these organizations, they will be responsible for channelizing these funds as per their requirements. The website will be updated continuously as details are established on the distribution of fund and on relief work that has reached the affected villages.

We would like to hear back from you. Please feel free to write back your comments and thoughts and provide us with your feedback at seattle@ashanet.org. If there are ideas and suggestions you have that might help us channelize our resources for the disaster victims in a better way, please let us know.

Thanking you in advance for your generous contributions,
Asha-Seattle.

http://www.ashanet.org/seattle/

Humanist Movement appeal

Courtesy Sushmita:

The Humanist volunteers in India are organizing collection and distribution of aids for the victims. More information about contacts can be obtained at:http://humanistmovement.org/tsunami.html/

I wanted to let you know that I know the person who is coordinating this effort,
Sudhir Gandotra (sudhir AT netshooter d-o-t com, Phone : +91-98-101-20918) very well and can vouch that if you donate to the Humanists, your aid will reach the victims, without ending up in the hands of middlemen. Please contact Sudhir directly for details/questions.

Italian TV Station looking for Italians

From Marco:

Please pass this information cause it can be very important for italian families worried about their parents in SOUTH - EAST ASIA. Link is also here and here.

IMPORTANT SERVICE FOR ALL THE ITALIAN PEOPLE IN SOUTH - EAST ASIA
All Italian people willing to inform their family or testify what’s happening in South-East Asia can send a short messagevia sms + 39 335 6946399 or via email (skytg24@skytv.it) to Sky Tg 24, the Italian all news Sky television channel.

Waves Of Hope

The accompanying image should tell you who are TIME magazine's People Of The Year - Bloggers. We're also trying to set up a citizen-reporting news service out of Sri Lanka so that accurate information is available to aid workers. The info can be sent through SMS or internet based reports.

Email: info@wavesofhope.org

Help us do this:

Do you know ANYONE down in Sri Lanka? Send them this URL. (www.wavesofhope.org) Ask them to contribute eye-witness acounts, warnings, accurate information that they consider crucial to relief work.

Information Portal for Aid Agencies

Everything from how to find missing persons to international and local aid agencies with comments and advice to help you evaluate the organizations. Team Zoo Station

Excerpt:

List of places you can donate to --I did think of collecting some money via ZS but have rested the idea temporarily unless someone can provide me with logistical support. The bottom line with donations is to find an agency with low overheads and where you can get a tax deduction. Of course, if you can get matching grants, that's even better. While this list is by no means exhaustive, I have listed every single prominent site on here. In addition, most of the organisations I have listed on here accept online donations which makes giving a lot easier. I have also avoided explicitly religious organisations on here since their agenda is suspect.

Courtesy South Asian Journalists Association tsunami assistance page

Information on how to prevent disease outbreaks

From Anne Gowda:

Excerpts:

In the aftermath of tsunami, the drinking water is contaminated. Drink water provided by the relief workers only. Boil water before drinking. The water tanks will be placed in affected villages to store treated water. Please do not drink/wash hands/wash clothes in the floodwater. Do not drink water from wells unless tested/treated. It could be contaminated by floodwater. CNN reported, that people were touching decomposing bodies with bare hands. Wash hands thoroughly after handling any flood-affected items.

Parents need to help children avoid water-borne illness. Children should not be allowed to play in floodwater areas, and parents should ensure that children's hands are washed frequently, especially before meals.

Do not wash wounds with floodwater. Do not use home remedies like turmeric powder/coffee powder for the open wounds. Make sure that there are no open wounds.

Full text at http://www.livejournal.com/users/annegowda/

Sri Lankan Tourist Board launches website

From Zulfer

Sri Lanka Tourist Board has launched a website to keep you posted on the latest developments in Sri Lanka after the Tsunami disaster. This site offers information regarding tourists, hospitals, hotels, police stations and much more which will enable you to find out details about your missing loved ones.

Please log on to http://www.contactsrilanka.org to obtain more information.

Sri Lanka information and relief effort

From Dushy

There is another charity organisation actively involved in North andEastern Sri Lanka http://www.troonline.org/

Also, if any one wants some information about missing person in SriLanka, they can call Sirasa or Shakthi FM. These radio stations areconstantly broadcasting missing person's info. If you leave your contact details, the person or anybody who has info about the person can contact you back.

HELP HOTLINE +94-11-2745223
http://www.shakthifm.com/
http://www.sirasa.com

U.S Based NGO Pushing Bush Administration to Contribute More Funds to Relief Effort

Cross posted on Progressive Change for Tsunami Victims
From Chitra

Hi folks,

In addition to us giving our individual contributions for tsunami relief, its also important to pressure Bush and Congress to increase their financial commitment to relief efforts. Remember that earlier this year, Congress pledged $13 billion for hurricane relief efforts in Florida. Surely we can do better than the $35 million that has been pledged for South and Southeast Asia. Death toll is currently at 114 million thousand [Ed's note-- SORRY!]. It takes one minute to pressure Congress. Go to website below and please pass it on

http://www.moveon.org/tsunamirelief/

URGENT: SRI LANKA FLOOD WARNINGS

NOTE: This has nothing to do with another Tsunami warning so people in other countries need not worry.

It's been raining in the Easter Coast of Sri Lanka since morning. There are flood warnings for the Batticaloa and Amparai Districts. There is a CONFIRMED report that Valachchenai in the Batticaloa district is already under 3 feet of water. Aid convoys heading to Batticaloa have to pass over the Manampitiya bridge and the Valachchenai area. All aid convoys to the area must be held back at the Manampitiya bridge at least. Efforts to evacuate the over 3000 refugees who have been living in Valachchenai for the past 5 days are going on.

Further south, in Kalmunai in Amparai District too it has been raining since morning. If it continues for any longer floods are expected there too. Evacuation activities are underway.

MSF in Jakarta

Any doctors or people with medical training wanting to help MSF should send their CV to the following address.
All volunteers must be interviewed in person before being accepted.
Medecins Sans Frontieres Belgium (MSF B) - Indonesia
Jln. Kemang Utara No. 32
JAKARTA 12730
Tel. + 62 - 21 - 719 5947
Fax. + 62 - 21 - 719 5948
E-mail : msfb-jakarta@msf.be
http://www.msf.org

Alex Ryan, Thanks for the information.

25 Medical Personnel Reaches Meulaboh

Highlights from Tempo, Indonesia (31 December 2004)

25 Medical Personnel Reaches Meulaboh

According to the Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari at a press conference, 25 medical personnel from the Department of Health have arrived in Meulaboh. The Minister says that she will personally visit Meulaboh tomorrow and will inform the journalist more fully on the situation there. The Minister of Health has set up a few treatment stations in Banda Aceh with the help of the Singaporeans and Australians. A treatment station has also been set up in Fakinah hospital, Banda Aceh.

PUNE UPDATE : APPEAL FROM MAITRI

MAITRI appeals to you to donate for providing emergency relief to the fisher folk families on Marina beach. We will accept rice (in sealed bags of 1 kg), bed sheets and funds. A collection center is being opened at Padale Palace, Nalstop, off Karve Road. Cheques or DD should be made in favor of MAITRI or Nilubhau Limaye Foundation (for 80 G benefit). Those based in Mumbai can contribute to Sampark.
The first batch of materials will be dispatched on Wednesday night by train to Chennai. A dozen volunteers under the leadership of Shirish Joshi will be helping to transport this material and hand it over to the Collective.
For more information, please contact
Pune: Harihar Gole 2543 2318, Shriram Ramdasi 9372 406494, Jayashri Shidore 98231 38888 or Vinita Tatke 9422 521 702.
Mumbai: Sampark, 50-51, 2nd Floor, Guilder Lane, Municipal High School, Belosis Bridge, opp. Mumbai Central local Railway Station, Mumbai Central, Mumbai 400008. Tel: 23001131/61. e-mail: mitra@bom3.vsnl.net.in
Or write to: MAITRI, "Kalyan", 32, Natraj Society, Karvenagar, Pune 411052. Tel: 2544 3134. E-mail: vinitat@vsnl.com

Aid Package from Unicef arrives in Aceh

Highlights from Kompas, Indonesia (31 December 2004)

Aid Package from Unicef arrives in Aceh

An aid package from Unicef for Aceh arrives in Jakarta todayy. The aid package weighing 3.8 tonnes was filled with medical supplies for emergency situations including medicine, medical equipment, plastic sheets and toiletries such as comb, tooth brush and soap. The aid packet was estimated to be enough for 200,000 people

In order to prevent the spread of disease, Unicef will endeavour to provide vaccines, vitamin A tablets, clean water, water purification instrument, mosquito nets, medicine for malaria and basic medical amenities.

Unicef official in Jakarta, John Budd, said that part of its efforts is to provide for the basic education needs for children whose schools have been destroyed. Unicef will provide basic teaching tools called ‘School in a Box’ which contains teaching and learning materials. Unicef will also work with the authorities and religious organisations to set up centres for children. In addition, Unicef intends to provide psychological help for children whose families have been victims of this disaster.

Malaysia To Send Shipload Of Aid To Sumatra Tsunami Survivors

Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Mahawangsa will leave for Acheh Saturday bearing humanitarian aid for survivors of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northern Sumatra.

"Anyone wishing to make contributions in kind for the Sumatra victims can contact the Defence Ministry," he told reporters after receiving contributions totalling RM1 million for the Malaysian Tsunami Victims Fund Friday.

They may contact Lt Rosdi Muhamad at 012-303 2607 and Lt Commander Muhammad Mohsin Mohd Sidek at 012-515 2977. The ship is expected to leave from Port Klang at 4pm Saturday.

Source: Bernama

Site helping people trying to get to their missing friends and relatives

Asian Quake- Missing persons search site

URGENT: FLOODING IN BATTICALOA DISTRICT

This information needs to get out now. It has been raining since 5 a.m. in the Baticaloa District and the valachchenai Area has started flooding. THIS IS A CONFIRMED REPORT.

All aid convoys and vehicles travelling to the area MUST STOP. There is no more access to batticaloa over the Manampitiya bridge. Over 3000 people who had been living in the area as refugees for the past 5 days are being evacuated.

Overhead costs of international relief organisations

Karthik has a list of international organizations for disaster relief that he has segregated by overhead costs.

Below, I've highlighted in blue those organizations with less than a 10% overhead rate, and in orange those organizations above the 10% mark, but that may still be worthy of your consideration. For instance, the Doctors Without Borders organization has a high overhead rate, but presumably this is because it's more expensive to have doctors on staff than other kinds of disaster relief workers. Still, their website does not have as much transparency as one would like, in terms of how and where they spend their money. Also, Oxfam also has a high overhead rate -- again, making me curious why this is so. Some, like Save the Children were a surprising find (not one of the 'usual suspects' that people had emailed me about). Apparently, they had the "largest international organization presence" in the Aceh Province when the tsunami hit (see their web site below). Also, note that AmeriCares has one of the lowest overhead rate, at 1.5%.

Read more here.

List of medicines required in Tamil Nadu

Based on feedback from a variety of field sources, a comprehensivelist of items immediately needed is given below:
Medicines: Based on Prioritised list received from Doctors inCuddalore and Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. (Source: Shanmuga &D.V.Prakash, Trustees of Kuvempu Trust; sshanmuga@vsnl.com)First priority -
Paracetmol Brufane Amoxycillin Ranidin (stomach pain, vomit) Antacids ORS powder Tetramycin eyedrops Multivitamins Norfloxacin (diarrhoea) Dichloromine Derephyllin Tabs T.NORINS-TZ for adult (diarrhoea) NEGAMAT suspension syrup for child (diarrhoea)

Second Priority - List generated by Community Health Cell in Bangalore(sochara@vsnl.com)Chlorine Tablets (for disinfection of water), Septran Syrup and Tablets, Flagyl Syrup and Tabs (Metronidazole), Paracetamol Syrup and Tabs, Asthalin Syrup (Salbutomol) + Tabs (Theo Asthalin), Mebendazole, Cough Syrup, Brufen tablets / Diclofenac, Metronidazole, Doxycyclin Capsules, Ampicillin Capsules, Soframycin Ointment, Nasivion Nose Drops, ORS, Calamine Lotion, Amoxycyclin 250 mg (Amoxycillin), anti Histamines (Avil CPM / cetrizine), Derephyllin Tabs, Ibuprofen ointment / Diclofenac ointment

Third Priority - List from relief workers in Gujarat Earthquake experience

Cefotaxin (Injection ) 1000/500 mg Ciprofloxacin 100 mg/200 I. V. Fortwin/ Pentazocine Hydrocortison 100 mg / 200 mg Perinorm Metachlopromite Norfloxacin 400 mg Amikacine 500 mg Metronidazol 400 mg I. V. Phenargan Renitidine Sutures & Needles Pain Relief - Ibuprofane, Asprin, Dclofenac, Paracetamol Infection Prevention - Amoxicillin Dysentry - Diaorehha - Oral Rehydration kits (ORS), Furazolidone, Metronidizole Anti-Bacterial - Cotrimoxazole For Asthama - Salbutamol, Aminophylline Chloroquine Other Medical Aid required Infant feeding tubes Dressing trays Surgical scissors Bandages, Cotton dressing material I. V. N/ Saline , 5% Dextrose Surgical & plastering knife Injuries Dressing - Cotton, Bandgaes etc. Sanitary Napkins, Disposable Gloves (for relief workers) Face mask (for relief workers) Bleaching Powder 'phenoil' liquid Flashlight

General Guidelines for sending medical aid: Please send only well-packed medicines that have clear labels. Medicines whose expiry date is clearly marked and within expiry datewill only be used. For fragile medical equipments, please packageproperly and also indicate this CLEARLY on the mailing box.

U.S. Attorney General Offers Tips For Donors

• The state attorney general's office is warning Californians to be wary of people soliciting money for the victims of Asia's tsunamis, and has offered tips for people who want to donate.
• Be informed about the charity and how it will spend the money, reports Nathan Barankin, spokesman for the attorney general. Information about a charity's operations and expenditures can be obtained by searching the attorney general's online database for a charity's financial reports.
• Refuse high-pressure appeals by solicitors claiming to represent charities. Legitimate charities do not use those types of tactics to get donations.
• Californians should always ask for written information about the charity's mission, how the donation will be used and proof that the contribution is tax-deductible. Not all donations to charities and nonprofit organizations can be deducted from one's taxes.
• Scam artists might tell donors that they will receive a "tax I.D. number" or a receipt for their records to try to convince them that they are a legitimate charity, but a credit card statement or canceled check is enough for tax purposes if a donation is less than $250. Large donations require a properly worded receipt from the charity to confirm the donation.
• Consumers should call the charity directly. Money should never be given immediately to door-to-door solicitors or by mail.
• Groups that offer to pick up a monetary donation should be regarded with suspicion. Legitimate charities will always have an official address.
• Consumers should also watch out for scam artists using names that sound similar to those of legitimate charities.
• Donations to charities should never be in cash, for tax and security reasons.
  
  There are alternative ways to donate to a charity besides providing money. Donations can be given in charitable gift annuities, in-kind gifts and endowments. Many charities also accept volunteer work.
  
  Source: NBC News

Donation information for Singapore

Donating by mail

The Singapore Red Cross Society is hoping to raise S$1 million for the relief effort. You can mail a cheque to:

"Singapore Red Cross Society"
15 Penang Lane
Singapore 238486

Indicate "Tidal Waves Asia" and your name, address and phone number at the back of the cheque.

Donating by ATM

Donations can be made at DBS, POSB, and OCBC ATMs. For DBS/POSB ATMs, after you enter your PIN, select "iBanking, Cashcard and More Services". After that, select "Credit Card/Bill Payment". Choose "Red Cross Tidal Waves Asia" from the list that appears. When asked for your bill reference, enter your telephone number. Choose the account type you want to make the donation from and enter the donation amount.

Donating by phone

From any phone, you can call 1900 112 1226 and 1900 112 1227 to donate $10 or $50 respectively

Those who wish to donate by SMS can do so in the following ways, depending on your network:

SingTel: SMS *1226 to donate $10, *1227 to donate $50
M1: SMS DONATE to 8880 to donate $10
StarHub: Reply to the StarHub SMS to donate $10

Donating in person: cash and cheques

For those who have cash or cheques to donate in person, you can drop by:

• Red Cross House at 15 Penang Lane with cash or a cheque between 9am and 5.30pm (weekdays) or 9am and 12.30pm (Saturdays).
• News Centre at 1000 Toa Payoh North, Singapore 318993 between 9am and 6pm daily from 30 Dec 2004 to 7 Jan 2005.
  

As above, cheques should be made payable to "Singapore Red Cross Society". Please write "Tidal Waves Asia" on the back with your name, address, and contact number.

If you wish to donate specifically to Sri Lanka, cash and cheques (made payable to "Brahm Education Centre Ltd") can also be given to Brahm Education Centre at 9 Geylang Lor 29 #04-02, Singapore 388065, Mon-Fri 10am-5pm and Sat 10am-4pm.

Donating in person: supplies

For those who wish to give in kind, Sri Lankan Airlines is airlifting emergency relief supplies to Sri Lanka daily. They are appealing for:

• portable generators
• water purification tablets
• food staples
• intravenous infusions of saline and dextrose
• drugs like paracetamol and antibiotics
• wound dressing
• other necessary relief supplies
• EDIT 31 Dec 2004 12.49am: Sri Lanka now says they have enough food and medical supplies, what they now need are essentials such as new clothes for women and children, sanitary wear, women’s underwear, towels and temporary housing material (Lanka Business Online)
  

The Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore can handle all public donations. The High Commission is at #13-07/12, Goldhill Plaza, 51 Newton Road, Singapore 308900, and is open from 9 am to 5.15 pm on weekdays.

Donations can also be dropped off at Ananda Travel's branches in the CBD, People's Park, and Woodlands, and at the following IndoChine restaurants: IndoChine Club Street, IndoChine Waterfront at Empress Place, IndoChine Wisma Atria, IndoChine Holland Village, and Forbidden City at Clarke Quay (free finger food to all donors; please donate by 2 Jan 2005).

Singapore Press Holdings is also collecting emergency supplies. Please bring clothing and blankets and sheets to News Centre, 1000 Toa Payoh North, Singapore 318994, between 9am to 6pm daily until Fri 7 Jan 2005.

The Singapore Buddhist Federation (6586 0250) is also collecting supplies. Please bring all supplies to 88 Recycling Kiosk,Bus Bay, Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, 88 Bright Hill Road Singapore 574117, from Wed 29 Dec 2004 to 5pm, Sun 9 Jan 2005.

The Tisarana Buddhist Association is collecting medicine, first aid items, toothbrush, toothpaste, canned food, dry food and clean / new blankets, towels and clothes. Please pack them in bags or boxes and label them separately (eg. Food, Blankets, Medicine). Clothes to be separated

and labeled MALE, FEMALE, CHILDREN. Boxes are preferred but DO NOT seal. Please bring them to the Tisarana Buddhist Association, 90 Duku Road, off Still Road, from 9am-8pm daily. Last collection: 9 Jan 2005 before 5pm.

The Love & Unity Volunteers Establishment is also collecting supplies. Please bring them to the Love & Unity Volunteers Establishment, 37 Pheng Geck Avenue, Singapore 348232, between 8.30am and 10pm daily.Contact Tommy Yu at 9847 9995 or Raymond Tang at 9733 3276 for more information.

Donated to:Sri Lanka

Charity functions

IndoChine is also having a charity night on Thurs, 6 Jan 2005, from 7pm till late at Forbidden City Clarke Quay. All proceeds go to the Singapore Red Cross.

Source: Daryl Sng

Jaycees of Mayiladuthurai (Mayavaram, Tamil Nadu) Needs Medicines

--- Posted by a Blog Reader ----

Jaycees of Mayiladuthurai (Mayavaram) in Tanjore Dt are involved in Tsunami Relief Work at Poompuhar, Chidambaram and other nearby coastal areas. Refugee Camps are being run in Mayiladuthurai for the displaced victims. There is an urgent need to provide medicines at various camps. Jaycees volunteers will assist in distribution. We welcome assistance from NGOs and Pharama companies. Contact : Mr A S Ravindiran (Mob : 09345061022) or Mr V Raman (Mob : 09443134855). Jaycees can also assist corporates and NGOs to carry out Relief Work in the nearby areas to ensure benefits reach the victims.

Death, Injury and Survivors Lists in Thailand

From Onethailand

Survivors at Thammasat University
OneThailand Sorted List (updated 2:28 AM Dec 29)
OneThailand Raw List (for use with Phuket IT City Search (below)
Phuket IT City List - very comprehensive (currently slow)
Phuket IT City Backup List
Dinsormai - Foreign Tourist Lists
Inet Thailand Information and List Search
Missing Persons Registration
Missing People Lists
Death and Injury Lists
Phuket Patient Lists
Lists and Messages
Thaivisa Hospital ListsNarenthorn - Enter User: user and Password: password then click Submit

Source: Onethailand

Missing People- Thailand

I got to this site from NBC:
I did a search on missing people from Denmark and got 15 responses.

Here is the link: Missing People in Thailand

From All Corners, a Rush to Get Clean Drinking Water to Survivors in Stricken Areas

Tanker trucks, bottled water, pumps, disinfecting kits and clean jugs are being rushed to regions struck by the tsunami in hopes of providing what survivors most urgently need: safe drinking water.

A lot of homegrown solutions are happening. Private donors of all kinds are driving in with bottled water, especially in Sri Lanka and India.

An expert in water sanitation from the World Health Organization has arrived in the Maldives to help determine the best way to restore safe water supplies, said Dr. Pino Annunziata, a member of the organization's emergency response team. He said that rainfall there would help to flush the salt out of the wells, but added that rain could also create stagnant pools of fresh water where mosquitoes could breed and spread malaria, which is already prevalent in many of the devastated areas.

Dr. David Nabarro, the director of crisis operations for the World Health Organization, said that a shipment of bottled water was being flown to the Maldives from Britain. He said the organization had been offered the use of a commercial plane heading from Manchester to Mali and had elected to fill the plane with water.

Source: The New York Times

Half of the FTSE 100 establish relief operations

The article on Times, UK, talks about the relief operations and contributions of the following companies:
The, Vodafone Group, HSBC, Pearson, Legal & General, Cairn Energy, the Edinburgh oil and gas company, BP, Shell, Next, J Sainsbury, Dixons, British American Tobacco, Scottish Power, City of Glasgow, John Lewis Partnership, Lloyds TSB, Royal Bank of Scotland, HBOS, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, BAE Systems, Imperial Tobacco, GUS, Reckitt Benckiser, mmO2, Rio Tinto and GE Healthcare.

Source: Times, UK

Urgent Needs in Sri Lanka

List of Items urgently required for Relief work.

Request for Medical Supply for GH Vavuniya Emergency needs for Affected Communities
Drugs Requirements (Vavuniya)
MoH Compiled List of Drugs Urgently Required

Source: National Disaster Management Center. The site also has details on assessments and nodal agencies coordinating relief in Sri Lanka.

Urgent Need for tents- Sri Lanka

A village of 30 families living in Kosgoda (District Galle) amounting to 80 people are in dire need of shelter. There is an urgent need of adequate number of tents. A group of young people from Leo Burnett will visit them on the 29th December with all collected material to help them re start their shattered lives.

Please contact Ms Mantri on 0-11 4406163

Source: National Disaster Management Center, Sri Lanka

To TEAM Bloggers : Let' try and sort out this confusion

- This South-East Asia Tsunami site is a huge source of information for all those who want to know and do something or contribute their bit. The last 2 days updates are a bit conflicting for all - queries, e-mails from everywhere and calls in Pune, INDIA are swamping coordinators with provisions for clothes and blankets among other things.
There are reports which say - 'Clothes / blankets' urgently needed in Tamil Nadu; whereas others say state 'Don't send any more clothes - there's a glut'. We need some cohesion, please. Ofcourse, this work is huge and its a 'information tsunami' on the website! But we could just try to see if information is consistent. But TEAM bloggers - its a great effort from everyone and God Bless each one at the New Year.

- OK, if AID INDIA people and others from Chennai / Cuddalore etc.could help out with this information on material requirement / volunteer jobs. Huge nos. are available for help as per requests (they need to be directed). Call me at Pune 0-98220 04752 / E-mail : vmoorthy@rediffmail.com

Aid gets to Aceh. Coordination is the critical need.

Excerpts from an article in Jakarta Post
And it's not as if help is not forthcoming.

Relief supplies sent from national and foreign organizations and governments are reaching the Banda Aceh airport. In fact, supplies are literally piling up there by the ton. But they are not being distributed quickly to the intended targets.

Take the issue of burying tens of thousands of dead as an example.

There aren't enough workers left in these areas to bury the dead. Many Acehnese are either too stricken by grief to do anything because they have lost loved ones, or simply too weak as they have been without food, clean water and medicines.

Bringing in volunteers from outside requires good coordination. They have to bring their own tents to sleep in, and their own food. They cannot eat rations intended for victims or use the limited number of tents available in the area.

And they need heavy equipment, like cranes, to bury the dead en mass.

Then, there is the question of the lack of trucks to take relief supplies from the airport to the people. And even if there were enough trucks available, there is not enough fuel to run them. And then there is the question of clearing roads of debris before they become passable.

Whose job is it then to coordinate the relief operation?

The Aceh provincial administration and its structure were decimated. It is estimated that only half of the administration's employees in Banda Aceh survived the tragedy. And most government offices in Banda Aceh were destroyed.

Without a government structure in place, coordination becomes almost non-existent.

Another sign of poor coordination was the question of permits for foreign relief agencies to operate in Aceh. By invoking national disaster status, the government effectively opens the way for these groups to send aid directly to Aceh. Jusuf Kalla reaffirmed this, but yet another lower ranking official insisted that they must all obtain permits from the government, which can take two weeks or more to issue.

Source: Jakarta Post

Aid Organizations- Helping Survivors- BBC

A partial list compiled from BBC
The Disasters Emergency Committee - www.dec.org.uk - is an umbrella group of UK aid organisations - including Action Aid, British Red Cross and Oxfam - working to provide clean water, food and shelter to thousands. To call from the UK, dial 0870 60 60 900.

Save the Children - www.savethechildren.org.uk - has already flown a plane out to Sri Lanka carrying plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, tents to run children's services from and essentials such as clothing and cooking utensils.

The Hindu Forum Disaster Relief Task Force - www.hinduforum.org - comprises 50 organisations and is raising money, clothes and medicines. Donations can be made online or by calling the ISKCON Disaster Appeal on 01923 856848 or Sewa International on 0116 261 0303.

Source: The larger list of agencies from BBC

Sewalanka Foundation - An Appeal Launched

Sewalanka Foundation has launched an appeal for the people affected by the tsunami in Sri Lanka.

Sewalanka Foundation has offices in all the coastal districts affected by the tsunami and is receiving urgent requests from survivors. Those that have survived are now in urgent need of basic supplies like cooked food, drinking water, dry rations and cooking utensils.

In order to facilitate these purchase we have established a separate bank account where money can be directly donated by those concerned and wishing to help. The details are:

Account Holder: Sewalanka Foundation
Bank: Hatton National Bank, Boralesgamuwa, Sri Lanka
Swift Code: HBLILKLX
Account Number: 1120097748

Details on how to assist Sewalanka in their emergency relief efforts can be found on their website: www.sewalanka.org

To speak with Penny Boddington in Sri Lanka: +94 777 576 100, sewaweu@sri.lanka.net

To speak with Sewalanka staff on the East Coast of Sri Lanka:
+ 94 777 576 100, sewaweu@sri.lanka.net

To speak with the Australian coordinator of the appeal and awareness campaign: Tanya Notley: 0423 352 534, t.notley@qut.edu.au

Thanks Jean!

Source: www.sewalanka.org

Auroville rallies to help Pondicherry fisherfolk

"What we need," one team member said, "is approximately Rs 50,000 (about $1,000) to rebuild a house, Rs 100,000 (about $2,000) for a boat with an engine and another Rs 100,000 for fishing nets. Thus a total of Rs 250,000 (about $5,000) per affected family. We have taken charge of 225 families in our area. It is a lot of money."

Transparency was ensured by creating an accounting team and channeling funds through two newly created accounts in Auroville's existing financial infrastructure which offers a tax rebate and a foreign donations facility (see below).

FOREIGN FUNDS

BANK TRANSFER via SWIFT following details:

Bank Name: State Bank of India
Branch: Auroville International Branch
Branch Code: 03160
Beneficiary Account Name: AV Fund Foreign
Beneficiary Account Number: 01000060095
Details/other Information: Village Flood Relief OR Auroville Beaches Relief


SWIFT CODE: SBININBB474

Under details please specify if you want the funds to go to Village Relief or for Auroville Beaches Relief. You could also give a percentage allocation.

FOREIGN CHEQUES

Please make your cheques payable to "Auroville Fund - Foreign" and send to the address below.

INDIAN FUNDS

Cheque/DD to be made payable to "AUROVILLE FUND". On the reverse of the cheque please write if it is meant for Village Flood Relief OR Auroville Beaches Relief.

DDs payable at Pondicherry.

Please send the cheques to:

Auroville Tsunami Rehabilitation
Opposite Aurelec, Kuilapalayam
Auroville 605 101, Tamil Nadu, India.
E-mail tsunami@auroville.org.in
Phone: 0413 - 2622184.

Source: Rediff

Tracing Family and Friends

Thailand

The Thai government has set up hotlines for relatives to find information about family members in the affected areas.

Phuket: +66-7621-6101 and +66-7621-1001
Phang Nga: +66-7641-1525 and +66-7641-1179
Krabi: +66-7561-1302 and +66-7652-4161
Trang: +66-7521-4382
Satun: +66-7472-2121 and +66-7472-2296
Ranong: +66-7781-3401 and +66-7782-3257

Relatives can also contact the Thai foreign ministry's information center at +66-2-643-5000 or by fax at +66-2-643-5256.

You may find who you're looking for on Thai hospital Web sites. The hospitals in Phuket and Krabi have put the names of their patients online on the links given below.

On the Phuket Disaster Message Board Web site link below, you can leave messages for missing family members, and people in South Asia can post messages for their families and friends.

Sri Lanka

Check Sri Lanka tourist board's English language Web site below for up-to-date information from hospitals, police and air carriers. You can reach their 24-hour hotline at +94-11-2437 061.



International Red Cross

You can also contact your national chapter of the International Red Cross or consult the Red Cross Family Links Web site below for help in tracing family members.

German Foreign Ministry


Family and friends of German tourists traveling in South Asia can dial the German foreign ministry's hotline at +49 (0)30-5000-1000 to get more information on the situation.

Source: www.dw-world.de

Donate to Architecture for Humanity

http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/__Sumatra.htm

The above link takes you to an organization to which you can donate to help offer relief to the tsunami victims. This link is great because it takes you to a site through which you can pay by Paypal. This is the easiest way I've found to donate thus far. Everyone's heard of Paypal - you can pay by credit card or have the money taken directly from you bank account. Makes it so simple to help out.

Think of the good even one dollar would do. One dollar times thousands of people...

posted by realfaux

GM Employees Donate - GM Will Match Your Donation Says CEO Rick Wagoner

FOR RELEASE: 2004-12-30

General Motors Pledges Aid to Tsunami Disaster Victims

DETROIT -- General Motors today announced that the GM Foundation will donate $1 million in cash to the International Response Fund of the American Red Cross to support relief efforts on behalf of victims of the tidal wave disaster.

GM, through its foundation, also will match up to $1 million in contributions made by GM employees to the International Response Fund of the American Red Cross, UNICEF and CARE. GM employees can make direct contributions to these organizations by using the company’s Global Aid Disaster Relief website.

"All of us are stunned by the magnitude of this unprecedented natural disaster, and we mourn the loss of life and the devastation it has brought to so many people," said GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. "General Motors wants to assist in the global relief efforts to provide food, water, medicine and other resources to the disaster victims as quickly as possible."

Wagoner encouraged GM employees to make online contributions to the International Response Fund of the American Red Cross, UNICEF and CARE. "General Motors and its employees have a long tradition of responding to emergencies in communities where we work and live, and also in other areas throughout the world. I know our employees will rise to the challenge again," Wagoner said.

More information on the GM Foundation can be found on the General Motors corporate website at www.gmability.com.

CONTACT(S):
Anthony Neely

AID collection points across India

Here is information about AID collection points in various cities :

DONATING MATERIALS IN INDIA.

1. Please donate materials at your local city collection point. Most of our staff in Chennai are actively involved in relief work. If you are not from Chennai, please contact your local city AID collection office.

Contact Information for AID collection agencies:

BANGALORE Prasanna Saligram (080)3229747, (080)3305156

NEW DELHI Anuj Grover 98182 48459

MUMBAI Arun Kumar 98206 05751

Malini Vittal 98193 52190 CHENNAI

Ravishankar (044) 28350403

Sent via email by Krishnan

Sister act: Eight-yr-old saves siblings

Sanjay Pinto
Friday, December 31, 2004 (Cuddalore):

An eight-year-old girl in Cuddalore's devastated Singarathope village saved her younger brother and sister when the killer tsunami struck their home.

"I was playing when water gushed in. I just grabbed my siblings, carried my little brother, pulled my sister and kept running," Arul Mozhi recounts.

The family has lost their home, but the three children and their parents are happy to be alive and reunited.

Their mother still cannot get over the little rescue operation.

"I didn't know where they were. I had no idea they were all sitting in a corner together," said Anbarassi, Arul Mozhi's mother.

Meanwhile, the little boy now has a New Year resolution, to stop fighting with his sister.

"I won't fight with my sister. She pulled me to safety," Nivekumar said.

It will certainly take a long time for the children to pick up their books or their parents to get back to work. But in Singarathope, the little champion is the talk of the town.

Source : NDTV

Red Cross in Sri Lanka needs your help

The items you order here will be directly delivered to Red Cross head office in Colombo.

http://www.lanka.info/shops/specialGifts/donations.jsp

Thanks slade!

HOPE FOUNDATION

In such emergencies one always wonders who to give aid to and be sure that it is not misused. This, in fact, holds most of us back from giving to charity. As of today, Vaishna and I have linked up with an NGO called "HOPE FOUNDATION". You can check them out on the net. They have their own teams of volunteers (other people like us) in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam, running relief camps that are providing food, medical facilities and material aid. These teams are being fed from Chennai. Hence the mtrl is going directly to the affected people. We have stepped in to provide transport facilities to carry the mtrl from Chennai to the camps.

There is a surfeit of old clothes. So, we would like to tell you what exactly is urgently needed now:

(a) Cooked food packets (for sending directly) or rice, dal etc for Hope Foundation to cook and send.
(b) Medicines.
(c) Drinking water.
(d) Bed sheets.
(e) Warm clothes.
(f) Cash.
(g) Vehicles for transporting aid
(h) Housing material like tarpaulin etc
(i) Water purification tablets
(j) Metal utensils
(k) Water storage vessels (plastic pots etc.)

Please send any money by DD in favour of 'Hope Foundation'.

The material aid can be sent to:Hope Foundation
H 110/2, 7th Avenue
Besant Nagar
Chennai - 600 090
Ph: 044 24463394
24463403

With warm regards and happy landings,Maj SR Roy (retd)Adventure ZoneCell: 98403 33013www.adventurezone.8k.com

Email forward from Cdr Sam T Samuel - Kalypsoadventures.com

American Red Cross donation collection website.

http://store.yahoo.com/redcross-donate/

Malaysia Helplines & News Updates

Malaysia Central has an extensive list of various Malaysia related Tsunami Information. Excerpts:

Malaysia - Operation Rooms / Rescue Coordination:
Penang Island: Tel: 04 262 1819, 04 265 6308
North Seberang Prai: Tel: 04 323 9122
Kuala Muda, Kedah: Tel: 04 421 1963
Langkawi, Kedah: Tel: 04 966 6963

Penang Hospitals:
Gleneagles Medical Centre
Hospital Pantai Mutiara
Hospital Pulau Pinang - Tel: 04 229 3333
Island Hospital
Lam Wah Ee Hospital
Penang Adventist Hospital

Donation Drive:
The New Straits Times, Berita Harian, TV3, 8TV Malaysian Tsunami Disaster Fund
The Star Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Fund
Subang/USJ Disaster Fund

Local Relief Agencies/NGOs:
Malaysian Red Crescent Society
Mercy Malaysia
Yayasan Salam Malaysia
List of Malaysian NGOs
Missing Persons E-mail Appeals

Malaysian Media & Press Release:
Prayers Instead of New Year's Eve Celebrations - PM
Those with family members missing at sea - Bernama
Warden Message on Asia Tsunami - US Embassy KL

Much more here

Brief Update from Cuddalore (India) and Relief Plans

From AID India

AID India, Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF) and Pondicherry Science Forum (PSF) in association with other organisations have set up a overall coordination mechanism and a distribution andoutreach mechanism to reach out to the entire area of the affected. Todo this the Chennai office is taking care of the relief work in Chennai town and the Malar/TNSF office of Kanyakumari is taking care of the work in Kanyakumari district. The rest of the area esp the Pondicherry- Cuddlaore Nagapattinam belt which is the main affected part is being coordinated from the PSF office.

We welcome contributions - but please time is important and we need to rush it in. Both cash(to go towards house- rebuilding the number one necessity) and more important clothes and blankets. No torn clothes please

Brief Update on Relief Operations and Plans by Archana Prasad and Dinesh Abrol:

Dear Friends Since the last two days both of us have been with the Pondicherry Science Forum and friends from the TNSF: Yesterday we had gone to Cuddalore with the PSF team and are also coordinating with other massorganisations who have joined the relief process. The MALAR/PSF/TNSF is a nodal coordinating agency of all the relief materials which are being sent to Pondicherry and the PSF office is acting as the coordinating office ....

Help Rebuild Sri Lankan Libraries Hit By Tsunami

Thanks to our reader Arnab Chakladar who sent us this by email:

There is an appeal from the National Library and Documentation Services Board, Sri Lanka for books in libraries destroyed by the tsunami:

More Info Here: http://www.natlib.lk/web-1.htm

POST RECAP: BURMA/MYANMAR 12/30-31

All posts from 12-31-2004 regarding emergency numbers and information for BURMA/MYANMAR only:

12-31 Donation request for local agencies in Burma and Sri Lanka

12-31 Two new quakes in Myanmar

12-31 More Burma Updates

12-31 Burma Updates - Need Blog Readers Inputs

12-30 90 people killed in Burma (Myanmar) by quake and Tsunami

POST RECAP: INDONESIA 12/29-31

All posts from 12-29-2004 to 12-31-2004 regarding emergency numbers and information for INDONESIA only:

12-31 The Reconstruction of Aceh Requires 10 Trillion Rupiah (USD 1 = 9,300 Rupiah)

12-30 Indonesian Authorities Give Access to Foreign Volunteers

12-30 Star Air Starts Free Flights [For Aid Workers] to Medan

12-30 Profiles of Missing People in Indonesia

12-30 Help Aceh

12-30 Transportation Problems Stall Many Rescue Efforts

12-30 Aftershocks rattle Andamans, Indonesia

12-30 Indonesia Help blogsspot

12-30 Aftershocks rattle Andaman and Nicobar, Indonesia

12-30 How Americans and Canadians can send aid to Indonesia?

12-29 How to Help in Indonesia

12-29 Aceh, Indonesia

POST RECAP: ANDAMAN-NICOBAR 12/27-31

All posts from 12-27-2004 to 12-31-2004 regarding emergency numbers and information for ANDAMAN-NICOBAR only:

12-31 SEEDS - Field Report From Andamans

12-30 IA AND JET AIRWAYS ARE OPERATING FLIGHTS TO ANDAMANS CARYING RELIEF MATERIAL

12-30 Stone Age tribes' fate hangs in balance

12-30 High wave alert in Southern States, Andamans

12-30 New Tsunami Alert in Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andamans

12-30 Aftershocks rattle Andaman and Nicobar, Indonesia

12-30 Relief Transport for Andaman, India

12-29 Tsunami endangers survival of Andaman tribes

12-29 Andaman and India Aid

12-29 Field Report for Andaman and India

12-28 Two islands in Andaman-Nicobar yet to be contacted

12-28 Special Cell Numbers for those stranded in Andaman and Nicobar

12-28 Andaman and Nicobar - most affected

POST RECAP: SRI LANKA 12/27-31

All post from 12-27-2004 to 12-31-2004 regarding emergency numbers and information for SRI LANKA only:

12-31 Help Rebuild Sri Lankan Libraries Hit By Tsunami

12-31 Donation request for local agencies in Burma and Sri Lanka

12-31 Sri Lanka: Mullaitivu Status Report

12-31 Sri Lanka : The LTTE appeals for international aid

12-30 North East Srilanka - Relief Efforts

12-30 Sri Lanka decides to STOP international donations of food and selected medical items

12-30 Collection center in UK for help required in Sri Lanka

12-30 Agency Focal Points- Sri Lanka

12-30 No help for thousands homeless in Sri Lankan rebel-held area

12-30 Blog From Sri Lanka

12-30 Sri Lanka struggling to distribute disaster aid, minister says

12-30 Find Information about Tsunami Affected People in Sri Lanka

12-30 Sri Lanka Hospital Contact Numbers

12-30 Online help for missing persons in Sri Lanka

12-30 Sri Lanka Tourist Board sets up dedicated website

12-29 Aid Collection in New Jersey, US

12-29 LAcNet Providing Information on Sri Lanka Victims, Soliciting Funds

12-29 Request for Aid Help from Sri Lanka

12-28 Special Coordinating Unit - Sri Lanka

12-28 High Commissions in the affected Countries

12-28 Indians and Sri Lankans in New Jersey

12-28 Sri Lanka Nationwide emergency number

12-28 Sri Lanka missing persons info

12-28 Sri Lankan National Television- Requests for funds

12-28 Emergency Disaster Unit- Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat

12-28 More Contact Details

12-28 We Need Volunteers

POST RECAP: GENERAL AID INFORMATION 12/27-31

General Aid Information posts from 12-27-2004 to 12-31-2004:

12-31 HOPE FOUNDATION

12-31 Lonely Planet

12-31 American Red Cross donation collection website.

12-31 Malaysia Helplines & News Updates

12-31 US State Department Info for US Victims

12-31 Finding Information in the Blog

12-31 Providing safe drinking water - Info for organisations in the field

12-31 Collection sites in Singapore

12-31 Donate Airline Mileage

12-31 English Premier League club Everton set up appeal fund

12-31 Want to become a volunteer to this blog?

12-31 UK - Sunrise Radio - Donations

12-30 Corporate Donors - is your employer one of them?

12-30 How to help from the US - buy Shaklee Cares Relief Packs

12-30 CNN- Email appeals

12-30 People in UK! - Clothes Needed For Tsunami Relief

12-30 Swedish Information Blog

12-30 AlertNet offers AIDfund to NGOs at Asia quake scene

12-30 Contacts and info- Missing Swedes

12-30 Emirates offers assistance to stranded passengers

12-30 Malaysia Sets Up Asian Disaster Fund For Tsunami Victims

12-30 CRY online donation page up

12-30 Red Cross sets up Web site for tsunami victim contact

12-30 Send Email Appeal to CNN - Helpful in locating Missing Persons

12-30 Update on assistance to HK people affected by tsunamis

12-30 In UK? - Help Through Disasters Emergency Committee of Great Britain

12-30 Helplines from Portuguese Foreign Ministry

12-30 Strategies for maximizing your donations.

12-30 Finding Information in the Blog

12-30 Portuguese Helpline Numbers for missing persons

12-30 Tsunami Disaster Forum

12-30 Forensic experts in race against time, call for help

12-30 Americans in Asia - Call home NOW!

12-30 Lonely Planet's Bulletin Board

12-30 Info for Italian familiesl

12-30 Donate from Portugal

12-30 How you can help tsunami victims

12-30 AFH Details

12-30 UAE Details

12-30 Missing Norwegians

12-30 Hotline numbers for missing people

12-30 Helpline for missing persons from South Africa

12-30 Help Relief Effort From Trinidad and Tobago

12-30 For Our Spanish Readers

12-29 Want to Help? Looking for Help?

12-29 CNN's Missing People Database

12-29 Agencies Collecting Aid in France

12-29 Flickr Group Page Created for Missing Persons

12-29 Post Tsunami Reconnect Disaster Relief

12-29 BBC News Message Boards for Missing Persons

12-29 Free SMS service Chatbar to and from affected countries

12-29 Tsunami Victims . org

12-29 Red Cross and Red Crescent

12-29 List of Relief Funds

12-29 Emirates helpline numbers

12-29 Helpline Number in France

12-29 Contribute in Malaysia

12-29 USAID's Guide to Effective Giving

12-29 Relief Organizations Working in the Disaster Area

12-29 Donate from Germany

12-29 Assistance in Transporting Goods Out of the U.S.

12-29 Appeal from Art of the Living Foundation

12-29 How to Help if You're in Singapore

12-29 Donate from the United States

12-29 Donate from Ireland

12-29 Doante from Spain

12-29 Finding Information in the blog

12-29 Links to Charities

12-29 Contact List

12-29 Satellite Pictures of Tsunami 2004

12-29 Indonesia Aid Information

12-29 International aid organizations

12-29 Country Wide Helplines

12-29 Webpage listing various donations

12-29 Aid from Dubai

12-29 Information on Filipinos caught in tsunami

12-29 List of Agencies from Canada Collecting Aid

12-29 Canada Helpline Numbers

12-29 Posters from AID India

12-29 Seeking info? Ask the bloggers

12-29 Thomas Cook helpline

12-28 Additional Contact Numbers(Hotlines)

12-28 WorldChanging Angle

12-28 Those seeking information about American Citizens

12-28 High Commissions in the affected Countries

12-28 More ways to contribute from the USA

12-28 Apollo Hospitals Joins Relief Efforts

12-28 Buy Feeddemon - ALL PROCEEDS TO TSUNAMI VICTIMS

12-28 How to Send Help from USA

12-28 Contacts for Singapore Red Cross

12-28 Pre-frabricated toilets for use in Affected areas

12-28 WorldChanging-AFH Relief Fund

12-28 American Red Cross Relief Effort

12-28 UNICEF Offices and Contact Numbers

12-28 We Need Volunteers

12-28 More Listings of Agencies Carrying Aid

12-28 US Located Relief Effort

12-27 Mercy Corps

12-27 ReliefWeb

12-27 Michigan Indian Community Website Collecting Funds

12-27 Médecins Sans Frontières efforts

12-27 NRI Blogger Initiative

12-27 Reuters AlertNet

12-27 Aid Appeal for Tidal Wave Disaster

12-27 AmeriCares Is Accepting Donations

12-27 CARE Australia Launches Southern Asia Earthquake Appeal

12-27 SEEDS Appeal

12-27 Oxfam is Accepting Donations

12-27 Thomas Cook Helpline

12-27 Save The Childen Press Release

12-17 A Little Can Go A Long Way

POST RECAP: INDIA 12/27-31

All posts from 12-27-2004 to 12-31-2004 regarding emergency numbers and information for INDIA only:

12-31 Brief Update from Cuddalore (India) and Relief Plans

12-31 ICICI waives fees for Tsunami donations Demand Drafts

12-31 Bangaloreans Help Needed - Medicines and Other Relief Materials

12-31 DONATE from Punjab

12-31 HELP from HARYANA

12-31 HELP from SHIMLA

12-31 Donate from Jammu & Kashmir(ALL DISTRICTS)

12-31 Donate from Chandigarh

12-31 Tamil Nadu (India) Govt. Directive on Relief Material

12-30 Pune (India) update and further aid request

12-30 News Update

12-30 Tenth Situation Report - GoI

12-30 Are You In Chennai and Want To Volunteer - Hurry!!

12-30 Organisations can send Money to the following:

12-30 Updated List of collection centres set up by Akanksha in Mumbai City and Suburbs

12-30 Clothes Bank Information

12-30 Want to Volunteer?

12-30 High Wave Alert

12-30 High Wave Alert in Southern States

12-30 New Tsunami Alert in Tamilnadu, Kerala

12-30 Young NCC Cadets Help Kerela Tsunami Victims

12-30 Bangalore: Donate old clothes at Food World

12-30 Hungama gets into the act

12-30 Relief Transport for Andaman, India

12-30 Isha Foundation needs aid for Nagapattinam & Cuddalore in India

12-30 CRY Tsunami Fund

12-29 Update from Aid-india team in Nagapattinam & Cuddalore (India) at 8.40pm IST

12-30 PUNE, India update: Doctors & Volunteers for Tsunami Relief

12-29 Latest Situation Report from Govt of India

12-29 Finally

12-29 The Hindu ( a terriffic newspaper, not the religion) Fund

12-29 LIST OF ITEMS NEEDED URGENTLY & CONTACT POINTS IN AND AROUND DELHI

12-29 Tsunami Relief Update - Suyam

12-29 Volunteer

12-29 A list of relief funds

12-29 Notes from the Field - Kanyakumari

12-29 Drop locations for Aid in Mumbai City - Courtesy Akanksha

12-29 Tsunami hits India, Inc. with Rs 3,000 cr loss

12-29 Drop box at ITPL, Bangalore

12-29 Bridge Foundation Collecting Goods in Bangalore

12-29 Children and orphans in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh

12-29 How to help from Kolkata

12-29 Coordinating volunteers in Chennai.

12-29 is there a list of people going to chennai from Mumbai

12-29 Cash Donations in Mumbai

12-29 Udavum Karangal adopts a village near Cuddalore

12-29 Helpline Numbers in Cuddalore, India

12-29 Local Aid in Chennai, India

12-29 Andaman, India Aid

12-28 Field Report for Andaman, India

12-28 Updates from Andhra Pradesh

12-28 Orissa Helplines

12-28 Prime Minister's Relief Fund in India

12-28 Latest Site Report from Govt of India

12-28 Contact numbers for rescue work

12-28 Asha For Education Tsunami Relief

12-28 IA plans 15 relief flights

12-28 High Commissions in the affected Countries

12-28 Indians and Sri Lankans in New Jersey

12-28 Info about Indians overseas- Indian missions abroad

12-28 Sewa International accepting donations in Chennai

12-28 Special Cell Numbers for those stranded in Andaman and Nicobar

12-28 Appeal From GOONJ

12-28 Potable Drinking Water in Tamil Nadu-UNICEF

12-28 More Contact Details

12-28 times of india relief fund

12-28 Bangalore Red Cross contact

12-28 AID-India update from Tamil Nadu

12-28 direct relief supplies india

12-28 more control room helpline numbers

12-28 aid indias efforts

12-28 India Express Citizens Relief Fund

12-28 "The Hindu Relief Fund" from Hindu group of publications

12-28 Listing of important numbers for Indian citizens both in affected parts of India and abroad

12-28 Indian Red Cross Information

12-28 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund

12-27 Indian Red Cross Society

12-27 Contact Person 1

12-27 PM's Relief Fund

POST RECAP: THAILAND 12/27-31

All posts from 12-27-2004 to 12-31-2004 regarding emergency numbers and information for THAILAND only:

12-31 Thai Toll Skyrockets

12-30 Updated Thailand Helplines/Aid efforts

12-30 Useful contact numbers and websites for relief assistance- Thailand

12-30 Finding Persons In Hospitals/Missing in Thailand

12-30 Links to lists of injured, deceased, missing in the greater Phuket area

12-30 Blood Donors needed: Bangkok

12-29 Find Missing Persons in Phuket

12-29 Thailand puts cost of tsunami at $510 million

12-29 Donations Urgently Needed in Phuket

12-29 Find Missing People in Phuket, Thailand

12-28 Thailand Telephone Numbers and Websites

12-28 Helpline - Bangkok

12-28 High Commissions in the affected Countries

12-28Contact info/relief funds for Thailand

12-28 english thai relief

12-28 information coordination from phuket

US State Department Info for US Victims

State Department Information About U.S. Citizens In Disaster Area

Within the United States, toll free number: (888) 407-4747.
Overseas: (317) 472-2328.

State Department's American Citizens Services and Crisis Management,
(202) 647-5225.

Information about disaster relief, preparation and emergency
services to U.S. citizens abroad:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/crisismg.html

Finding Information in the Blog

Search
There have been tons of information being posted on this blog so if you are looking for specific information, use the search facility on the Upper Right Corner of this page.

Wikis
To help find information better, we have created Wikis. They are better organized and categorized into Aid Agencies, Missing & Found, Health & Safety etc.

Sublogs
If you would like to volunteer yourself for the relief work, we are running a sister blog TsunamiHelpNeeded.Blogspot.com where you can find people who are looking for help and get in touch with them. If you are someone who need help, we are running a sister blog TsunamiHelpOffered.BlogSpot.com where we can post your information. For find Missing people, go to our sister blog TsunamiMissing.BlogSpot.com. For helplines/enquires go to our sister blog TsunamiEnquiry.BlogSpot.com. For news updates, our sister blog is TsunamiUpdates.BlogSpot.com.

Comments/Suggestions/Questions
Suggestions/Links go here. Your questions/info to the bloggers go here.

Volunteers
We are being swamped with offers to volunteer with our blog and Wiki. We can't thank you enough for all the offers. We are unable to respond to all of them. We will contact you if your help is needed. Please visit our volunteer Getting Started Wiki before you contact us.

Providing safe drinking water - Info for organisations in the field

This just in from Kris Shankar krissh@microsoft.com

Kris has been contacting various disaster relief organizations regarding providing drinking water to the tsunami survivors.

There is a simple, foolproof process called SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection) that can enable the survivors to make their own safe drinking water supply even from polluted water sources while waiting for relief supplies to arrive.

Given the logistical problems in ensuring steady drinking water supplies to many of the tsunami hit areas, the rapid dissemination of information about SODIS to survivors could save many lives.

SODIS was developed in 1991 by EAWAG (The Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology) and SANDEC (EAWAG's Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries) and has been recommended by the WHO (World Health Organization) for use in 3rd world countries and other locations where clean water is scarce.

You can get a very useful description, both text and pictorial, of the SODIS process on http://www.sodis.ch/Text2002/T-Howdoesitwork.htm - the material on this web page can be used for non-profit uses with no worries about copyright issues (see www.sodis.ch for details). More details on the benefits and limitations of the SODIS process are also available on this web page.

At the bottom of this email, I have abstracted a brief description of the SODIS process for purifying water for your quick review.

Relief organizations should consider printing leaflets with the above pictorial description (accompanied by text in the local languages) and distribute these leaflets to all affected areas for use by survivors. This will give them a viable option for drinking water while waiting for sustained relief. Obviously, speed is of the essence in getting this information into the hands of survivors.

SODIS is being used widely in places where there is awareness of the technique. See the following links if you want to read descriptions of SODIS use in various countries:

SODIS use in Brazil
SODIS use in Uzbekistan
SODIS use in Kenya, Thailand
SODIS use in Kenya
SODIS use in Nepal

-------- SODIS Description I wrote up for your quick review --------

Unsafe drinking water causes diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and dysentery. One of the ways of avoiding this is by drinking clean safe water, which is boiled or treated by SODIS.

Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) is a water treatment method, which uses the sun. This method requires a discarded 2 liter plastic bottle. After filling the bottle to about 3/4ths capacity with water, shake it vigorously to aerate the water, close it, and place it in direct sunlight for 6 – 8 hours . The heat and ultraviolet rays from the sun kill viruses, bacteria and microorganisms in the water. Where other methods of water treatment are not available, the use of SODIS can reduce sickness and can save life, particularly for infants, in families that have no access to good quality water.

How to use this method:

1. Use the cleanest water you can get. If your water is muddy, leave it in your bucket for sometime to settle down. Use a clean cup to fill your plastic bottle leaving the residue at the bottom.
2. Fill your plastic bottle to about 3/4ths capacity with water, shake it vigorously to aerate the water, close it.
3. Lay down the plastic bottle in the sun for example on the roof to keep it away from children.
4. Leave your plastic bottle in direct sunlight for at least 6 – 8 hours.
5. If it is cloudy, expose your plastic bottle in the sun for at least two days. Always remember to keep your plastic bottle clean. Take care so that the bottle is not too scratched. Replace your bottle if it gets too many scratches.

Advantages of this method compared to boiling:

* saves your time and less work is done compared to boiling water.
* saves your money because buying these bottles once is cheaper than buying charcoal or firewood every day to boil water. You can use old bottles as well.

Donation request for local agencies in Burma and Sri Lanka

Passing on a message from Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Marin, California

December 29, 2004

As you may know, Burma, Thailand, and Sri Lanka are among the hardest hit by the recent earthquake and tsunami that has cost tens of thousands of lives (perhaps 100,000 by the time you read this), devastated countless villages and towns, and left literally millions of people homeless.

The wisdom and skill that has been given to us in the form of the practice of Vipassana meditation was born in Asia. The Buddha experienced enlightenment in India. The wisdom he taught others has flowered into the Theravadan Buddhist tradition and is quite alive today in Burma, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.

Many of us have been to places that have now been washed out to sea. In Thailand, one report I heard said that the tsunami had reached up to three kilometers onto land. Burmese villages (from which no news is allowed out by the ruling military junta) are very close to Phuket Thailand, which has been devastated. I think we can assume these areas of Burma are even harder hit because of the almost total lack of infrastructure and government aid.

As we celebrate New Years here in the safety and luxury of the Bay Area, I ask that you send your healing wishes to the many, many poor people whose lives have been unalterably changed by this disaster.

If you are able, I also ask that you make a donation to aid in their recovery.

I am providing information below from two grassroots organizations that are friends of Spirit Rock.

Sarvodaya is in Sri Lanka and is headed by the famous peacemaker Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne. It is a grassroots peace and economic development organization with field offices all around the country. Their relief efforts began almost instantly on the morning of the disaster. They are the local partners for many international aid organizations. They have also asked for our direct assistance.

The Foundation for the People of Burma is an American organization that provides direct aid to projects inside Burma without the involvement of the Burmese military government. They have projects