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E-News Update from World Vision Singapore 28 December 2004

World Vision Responds to Tsunami Catastrophe

On 26 December 2004, when the world's worst earthquake in 40 years struck Sumatra, Indonesia, and sent a tidal tsunami sweeping across South and South-east Asia killing 22,500 to date, World Vision immediately went into action with urgent food distributions, shelter, medicine and water.

India

More than 12,000 people in Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry and Kerala are currently being provided with cooked food in temporary camps and relief sites.

In coastal Andhra Pradesh, World Vision’s four development programmes are affected by the tidal wave. World Vision provided cooked food for 3000 families last night as well as today in three areas, Premamaya, Godavari and Krupasagar. The teams will continue distributing pre-cooked food for the next two days till they move into the next phase of distributing dry food such as rice and dhal.

In Chennai, World Vision distributed food to more than 1,300 families in the slums of Chennai and in down south, Mannurgudi. "World Vision will continue distributing cooked food in all these areas for the next two days," says Jayanth Vincent, World Vision India staff.

Jayanth said that it has been difficult to comprehend the magnitude of the disaster that had struck this city. He added: "Yesterday morning we saw people on the beaches in Chennai pick up the pieces of their lives. People are just stunned."

In Tamilnadu, a gruesome picture unfolded with more than 1400 people killed in the Nagapattinam district. World Vision's assessment team found more than 60,000 people who had lost their homes taking shelter in marriage halls and other public places. "The government has been providing them with cooked food and they are unable to look beyond that at this time to see a future," says Jayanth Vincent.

Sri Lanka

According to sources, the east coast of Sri Lanka is the worst hit with over 1,000 reported dead in Batticaloa, where four of World Vision’s Area Development Programmes (ADP) are located, and over 300 people reported dead in Trincomalee. Sources state that waves as high as 40 feet slammed into villages along this coast. In the east, World Vision’s Vellavali and Eravur Pattu ADPs in the Batticaloa district and Pottuvil ADP in the Ampara district are the worst affected. The southern city of Galle has also been affected by aftereffects of the quake, with over 200 casualties reported by police and hospital sources.

Along the western coast, World Vision’s Negombo ADP and Wennappuwa ADP have also undergone considerable damage due to the tidal waves.

World Vision’s Vellaweli, Puttuvil, Pattipalai, Negombo & Wanathawilluwa ADPs have already commenced relief handouts consisting of cooked food, medicine & water.

World Vision Singapore funded development projects, Dhemaji ADP in India and Summer Island ADP in Sri Lanka were not affected by the tidal wave.

Indonesia

More then 400 people died in Aceh and several areas of Sumatra Island, while hundreds more were injured by the quake and resulting tsunami tidal wave, which was as high as 10 meters. The quake also damaged a number of buildings and other infrastructure, including hundreds of houses. The epicentre was approximately 149 kilometres south of Meulaboh in West Aceh regency.

Many of the victims were children.

World Vision Indonesia National Director James Tumbuan has alerted his relief staff about the disaster. "We are closely monitoring the situation in Aceh," he said.

World Vision Indonesia so far has no programs in Aceh, due to the volatility of security situation in the western-most province.

Two major earthquakes have hit Indonesia during the last two months. The earlier quake hit Alor island in East Nusa Tenggara province killing over 30 people and destroyed thousands of houses and other buildings. The other tremor hit Nabire area in Papua province, also killing some 30 people.

For more updates and information, log on to www.worldvision.org.sg . If you would like to donate to World Vision relief work in the areas affected by the disaster, please write a cheque to “World Vision International”. Our address is 108 Robinson Road, #08-02/03 GMG Building, Singapore 068900 or call Tel: 6221 1040 for enquiries.


[pls do gif wad u can. =D]
______________________________________contradicted yet agn at 9:59 am ;