Tsunami Disaster Relief Measures

[donthecat]

All of you are aware of the tragic events that happened in S.East Asia last weekend. I had a first-hand view of the damage inflicted on the people who have been left homeless with a temporary loss of livelihood.

I live in Chennai, one of the worst affected and yes, Chennai beachline is in bad shape, I live inland, which only felt the tremors, but was not directly affected by the Tsunami. But, almost the entire 50 km urban stretch of the beach is in bad shape. The second largest beach in the world, Marina has water up to the Beach Road, which is as far as 800 meters from the original wavezone. The worst affected are the fishermen and there are thousands still missing. All the boats have been damaged or destroyed.

Usually, we have something like 70-100 local cricket teams playing apart from hordes of joggers and senior citizens on the beach every Sunday morning. Not much is known about them. The Chennai coastline is in shambles and there are so many rumors floating around, that it is hard to confirm anything. But we guess that anything like 5000+ dead in Chennai coast alone.

I was shocked when we visited one of the beaches on the East Coast Road, (which houses several resorts and private homes) around 8:30pm that fateful day to check out on some pals who had partied on the beach the night b4. They were lucky to get to the 2nd floor roof just in time. Though the water had receded, the whole beach was strewn with litter and was still soggy. Entire back compound walls of some of the beach houses (solid Concrete structures) had been flung into the backyards like thermocol. There were no signs of the fishermen huts that line the beach. I found a catamaran impaled into the wall of a kitchen.

The setting looked bizarre. Our wives kept calling us on the mobiles and we needed no excuse to leave.

Apart from shelter, which is being provided by the Chennai Corporation for some, there is a huge and constant need for clothing and linen (as most of them have to stay outdoors). Several organizations have come forward to assist the affected people and it is our request to provide more assistance, either in kind or in person. It is in this regard that I appeal to you to contribute whatever you can.

The needs have been categorized below and the areas where we could help is also listed.

Clothing: Not many had a chance to take their clothing with them when they rushed from their homes. All they have now is what they ran out with. So, please donate your old clothes. Ideally, anything that you have not used for over 6 months could be considered old! A need for children's clothing has been expressed.

Bedsheets: Some of the homeless have been relocated to schools and godowns which lack basic amenities. The people have need for bedspreads.

Medicines: The next effect would be the water borne diseases which follow such devastations. We need to be ready for it.

Pls contact the Indian Embassy and other NGOs in your city to find out how you can reach across your contributions. The Prime Minister's Relief Fund is one effective way to make financial contributions (especially by those who are outside Tamilnadu and India). The National Relief Fund has appealed for funds for this cause. Apparently this fund is free of bureaucratic hassles (the money will reach where it is supposed to). These are two websites, One about the fund and the other with the form through which one can make donations.

http://pmindia.nic.in/relief.htm

 

http://pmindia.nic.in/formpmnrf.htm

Networking: Please forward this request to your friends so that the basic need of the people can be passed on. We need to take cohesive and active steps here as mere sympathy is not enough.

Regards

[roadrage]

Don I am very sorry for all of you effected by this natural disaster and will be glad to help in any way I can. I feel the need to provide some sort of support since my mother was in Sri Lanka last year as well as the surrounding areas. I feel that americans want to help very much especially with somewhere the death tols are reaching 100,000+ but these are just estimates. What we do not want to do however is send cash donations. We have learned in the past that cash seems to line the pockets of the people who need it the least and never gets to the people who really need it the most. After sept 11th millions of dollars were raised and given to charities to find the families barely saw any of it. It seemed some corporation or politician controlled the funds. The same thing happened with the hurricane relief funds.

 

If you can provide us with a address of someone there we can ship needed Items to we would gladly help with sleeping bags, tents, cooking equipment, water purifiers and other items. I will be glad to help out collaborating with people at work to raise the items your people need. But I will not send cash donations this time.

 

 

 

All of you are aware of the tragic events that happened in S.East Asia last weekend. I had a first-hand view of the damage inflicted on the people who have been left homeless with a temporary loss of livelihood.

I live in Chennai, one of the worst affected and yes, Chennai beachline is in bad shape, I live inland, which only felt the tremors, but was not directly affected by the Tsunami. But, almost the entire 50 km urban stretch of the beach is in bad shape. The second largest beach in the world, Marina has water up to the Beach Road, which is as far as 800 meters from the original wavezone. The worst affected are the fishermen and there are thousands still missing. All the boats have been damaged or destroyed.

Usually, we have something like 70-100 local cricket teams playing apart from hordes of joggers and senior citizens on the beach every Sunday morning. Not much is known about them. The Chennai coastline is in shambles and there are so many rumors floating around, that it is hard to confirm anything. But we guess that anything like 5000+ dead in Chennai coast alone.

I was shocked when we visited one of the beaches on the East Coast Road, (which houses several resorts and private homes) around 8:30pm that fateful day to check out on some pals who had partied on the beach the night b4. They were lucky to get to the 2nd floor roof just in time. Though the water had receded, the whole beach was strewn with litter and was still soggy. Entire back compound walls of some of the beach houses (solid Concrete structures) had been flung into the backyards like thermocol. There were no signs of the fishermen huts that line the beach. I found a catamaran impaled into the wall of a kitchen.

The setting looked bizarre. Our wives kept calling us on the mobiles and we needed no excuse to leave.

Apart from shelter, which is being provided by the Chennai Corporation for some, there is a huge and constant need for clothing and linen (as most of them have to stay outdoors). Several organizations have come forward to assist the affected people and it is our request to provide more assistance, either in kind or in person. It is in this regard that I appeal to you to contribute whatever you can.

The needs have been categorized below and the areas where we could help is also listed.

Clothing: Not many had a chance to take their clothing with them when they rushed from their homes. All they have now is what they ran out with. So, please donate your old clothes. Ideally, anything that you have not used for over 6 months could be considered old! A need for children's clothing has been expressed.

Bedsheets: Some of the homeless have been relocated to schools and godowns which lack basic amenities. The people have need for bedspreads.

Medicines: The next effect would be the water borne diseases which follow such devastations. We need to be ready for it.

Pls contact the Indian Embassy and other NGOs in your city to find out how you can reach across your contributions. The Prime Minister's Relief Fund is one effective way to make financial contributions (especially by those who are outside Tamilnadu and India). The National Relief Fund has appealed for funds for this cause. Apparently this fund is free of bureaucratic hassles (the money will reach where it is supposed to). These are two websites, One about the fund and the other with the form through which one can make donations.

http://pmindia.nic.in/relief.htm

 

http://pmindia.nic.in/formpmnrf.htm

Networking: Please forward this request to your friends so that the basic need of the people can be passed on. We need to take cohesive and active steps here as mere sympathy is not enough.

Regards

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[donthecat]

Thanks roadrage for the support. I'n not able to write much, what with another warning in force right now. Here's some details that should help you.

 

The Bhoomika Trust is a Chennai-based NGO, set up in February 2001, that is working towards providing relief for those affected by the recent earthquake / tsunami that struck Chennai.

 

The Trust was previously involved in providing relief measures to the victims of the Gujarat Earthquake.

 

Presently, efforts are channeled at providing food, clothing, shelter and medicines to the victims and also raising funds towards the same, after having assessed the situation and the specific needs of the people affected by the natural disaster.

 

They are also coordinating our activities with the Red Cross in Chennai. Contributions in cash and kind are most welcome.

 

Monetary contributions can be made out to

 

Bhoomika Trust A/c Tamil Nadu Earthquake - Tsunami Fund

No: 32, 1st Street, Karpagam Avenue, Raja Annamalai Puram

Chennai - 600028.

India

 

 

 

Clothes, food and medicines can be dropped of at

Real Image Media Technologies

7B Balaji Nagar, 3rd Street Royapettah

Chennai - 600014

India

[Guest]

Richard,

 

I understand your frustration. I used to give to a charity every time they called until I found out that over 50% of my money was funding the 3rd-party telemarketing company used to call me. On the other hand, many charities use the majority of the money you send directly for the people they are helping. These are organizations that have been helping people around the world for decades, not politically charged one-time deals like you mentioned. I'm not saying they're all perfect. I am saying some really do put your money to direct help.

 

I did a Google search on "charity evaluation" and found a number of sites that evaluate charities based on what they really do and how much of your money really goes towards the cause/people. I little research may make you feel more confident that your money will help people, not line someone's pockets.

 

Google has the following list of relief organizations.

 

ed

[Guest]

I make thousands of dollars worth of donations every year to charities in monetary, clothing, food, toys and time. I feel that emergency fund raising is a waste of time and money in getting relief to where it is needed and try to do my part so agencies are ready to go before disaster strikes. Even with that, I felt compelled to donate a little further for this particular tragedy.

[burt]

I donated yesterday to www.oxfam.org.uk

 

Also, on one of my osCommerce sites, I am donating 100% of all profits for the next 5 days to Oxfam.

[Guest]

being a DAV (VietNam Era) I donate thru the DAV, to support the troops, etc.

[mpiscopo]

All of the news channels are saying that cash donations are preferred. This is because cash can be quickly distributed to the people in need, then they can buy what they need (clothing, blankets, food, etc). To ship consumable goods at this time would be too late and expensive, they can purchase it in the local economy much quicker. CNN has a good list of Aid Groups to which you can donate. You can specify that your cash donation goes to this particular disaster.

[rmouton]

I have obtained a couple of satellite photos of Banda Aceh's harbor, before and the devastation, and created a couple of hi-res composite images that even more clearly show the extremely high level of devastation in the area.

 

You can take a look at these photos by going to the following link

 

http://www.geocities.com/the_physics_guy/index.html

 

 

I have also included a link to the list of agencies recieving donations to aid the victims of this disaster, compiled by CNN.

[donthecat]

Need to say that so many replies to my post proves that coders are not the monitor couch potatoes as they are made out to be.

Below is a note to give you a sense of Day #3. This is a report from a credible NGO on the relief op that is in full force.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CUDDALORE DIARY - NEWS FROM THE FRONT

BHOOMIKA TRUST & THE BANYAN

 

DESTINATION CHENNAI-CUDDALORE

DATE-29.12.2004-30.12.2004

 

A group of 15 Bhoomika trust & Banyan volunteers responded to the

needs of officials in Cuddalore district and headed with a truck

full of needed relief supplies.

 

The items included: new clothes-shirts, sarees, sheets, blankets,

towels, mats, shorts and lungis. Among edible items we carried rice,

water sachets, milk powder and biscuits. A huge supply of general

medicine and antibiotics for adults and children were included.

 

Our first halt was the Cholamandalam artistes village, where there was

need for rice in the relief camps. It was handed over to Mr. Raghavan,

a resident of the village , involved with relief work, who narrated

how he and some others escaped the TSUNAMI. Shock, and uncertainty

still prevailed, but the community was lending the best possible help.

 

The entire stretch along the East coast road to Pondicherry bore a

deserted grim look. Young and the old were squatting in groups on

various parts of the road. All of us in our own way felt the uneasy

calm, but we drove along.

 

FIRST HALT-PONDICHERRY

 

Mr.Murugan of Pondicherry Times was given a consignment of clothes, he

specifically asked for utensils , since people wanted to start cooking

in their shelters. Rice, clothes and biscuits were picked up from

Snighdha a friend. She visited some of the temporary shelters, which

were full of people, and were being taken care of.

 

CUDDALORE TAHSILDAR ' S OFFICE:

 

In the thick of the night the Tahsildar ' s office was brimming with

activity. The Tahsildar Mr.Gyanaparasarm was very forthcoming and gave us details of relief measures that were underway. He acknowledged the hand-holding efforts of many n.g.o ' s and others. The damage was very extensive in Cuddalore. Thousands of people were moved to four relief camps where their basic necessities of food, clothing, shelter was taken care of. The public health authorities attended to several cases of those injured and practically the entire population was covered by preventive health measures. First aid and inoculations were administered. Roads, shores were all sanitized.

 

However it appeared that day to day their needs were changing.

 

Most of the houses by the shore were demolished. Massive debris

cleaning operations were underway, they were assisted by the military

and fire personnel. Large number of college students were assisting in

this activity.

 

While some immediate relief measures were in place, the need of the

hour was. construction of at least temporary shelters for the

homeless, enabling them to start cooking their food, repair their

fishing boats, provide nets etc.

 

Towards this he enlisted what action the govt. was going to

take.Rs.2000 was allocated for temporary shelter, Rs. 2000 for buying

cooking vessels etc., 60kgs of rice per family, 3litres of kerosene ,

and provision of some fishing boats. He was open to our idea of

visiting the sites of the affected , and the relief camps.

 

DEVANAMPATNAM: Is one of the worst affected areas. The devastation was

disturbing. The sea literally took over the land ... the aftermath

of destruction was all over.Roads were caved in, homes washed away,

man and matter in a heap of mess. 120 fibre glass boats, 70

catamarans, entangled fishing nets were in piles, all were damaged

irreparably.

 

Cleaning up operations were in full swing ... the shores with the

stench and debris were being assiduously cleaned by army personnel.

Several individuals, n.g.o ' s were offering relief supplies. Food

packets, medicines clothes were all being taken care of by both govt.

and non-govt ' al agencies.

 

We walked to where their homes were along the banks ... the sight

was churning. There were hardly any homes, the rest were shells. The people said this particular place was so shaped that it was surrounded by sea from all sides, so there was literally no means of escape for all those who were there that Sunday morning.

 

Electricity, and water supply was being restored that day.

 

Our group spoke to several people. What we noted was that the men were

keen on getting back to fishing their only livelihood option. So boats

and nets was their only demand. We found that the cost of these boats

varied from rs.50,000 to rs.1,00000.Even fishing nets ranged from rs.

10,000 to 75,0000rs.

 

We asked the fishermen if they would share their boats to begin with.

Initially they were resistent, but slowly accepted the idea.

 

The women on the other hand wanted to get their homes intact, get the

fire-burning, so every where the request was to provide cooking

utensils, stoves, and provisions. Some of us in our group felt that

relief measures must be holistic taking into consideration the needs

of both men and women whose needs stemmed from the activity that they

pursued everyday. There was evident anguish, agony, and a huge sense

of loss and displacement. Getting back to work , and day-day chores

definitely help in dealing with their grief.

 

Next we proceeded to drop of medical supplies to A.I.D. India who were

taking them to Nagapatnam where there was an urgent need.

 

Many people at different points in time came and gave us suggestions

as to what places to visit, especially those that were remote, and

perhaps neglected.

 

FROM SAMIYARPETA-PUDDUKUPPAM-INDIRANAGAR.

 

These three fisher folk habitats come one after another in the

interior of Cuddalore town. They live dangerously close to the sea,

maybe a distance of only 400m away!

 

In each of these places assistance from the govt. was evident, along

side help from the n ' g;o ' s. Some people reported being helped

but failed to distinguish who was doing it. Never mind we thought what

was important that help was coming from all quarters.

 

The presence of large contingents of police, fire personnel, army,

doctors, nurses perturbed us. Huge cleaning work was being undertaken.

We kept driving and making enquiries of what was happening. We were

told in Puddukuppam that some 300 bodies were recovered and mass

burial was happening. There were lots of people on the road.

 

We drove into Indiranagar , and were behind a truck that was off

loading cooking utensils, and many women were stretching out their

hands. Within seconds in front of our eyes we saw total pell-mell.

Everyone was running ,all away from the sea. I looked towards the

sea, and saw nothing except rise and fall of waves, bright sunlight,

and clear blue skies. But the fear, and panic unnerved all of us.

 

A police constable told us to leave the place, so we headed for

safety. The sight of people running to safety gave all of us

palpitation. We reached to a seemingly safe point in about 20minutes

and stopped. A long sinewy line of humanity dotted along the road. It

was then that we received calls from Chennai warning us that another

tidal wave is going to hit cuddalore by 12pm, and we were at 11.30am.

That was the chaos, and we were in the midst of evacuation and panic.

 

Not knowing how credible the report was, we decided to stay calm, and

do our work.

 

Since there were so many people all along the road, we decided to

distribute all the buns, biscuits and water we had.

 

CAPPERHILL RELIEF CAMP: Next we drove to this relief camp where there

were number of people accommodated in apartments, and other buildings.

Many of them were those who fled from their homes a few hours ago. The

pressure on the govt. became manifold. They were geared for food for

11,000people, with the morning rush the numbers escalated to 1lakh,and

that too so suddenly!

 

Having done that we returned to the d.r.d.o ' s office which was a

collection point, and off-loaded the contents of our truck.

 

Meanwhile the Tahasildars office gave us a fresh list of requirements

which was made after their assessment.

 

POST VISIT ASSESSMENT ... .

 

1. Basic food, shelter clothing is being provided by the efforts of govt. /non. govt

organizations.

 

2. Health needs are taken care of, but the need for preventive

medicine is huge.

 

3. Reconstruction activity must begin. People are keen to go back to their livelihood, and their own shelter .

 

 

What can we do?

 

Adopt one Village and cater to the needs of the people such as :

 

1. Providing cooking equipment.

 

2. Provide dry rations.

 

3. Public health & hygiene - Ex. Toilets, sanitized environment

 

4. Innoculate against possible illnesses-typhoid, cholera etc.

 

5. Provide clean and safe drinking water.

 

6. Get the children back into schools by providing books etc.

 

7. Assist in home-building.

 

8. Provide fishing boats and nets.

 

9. Crisis intervention, Grief and trauma counseling

 

10. Create awareness among people to adhere to safety norms in all

walks of life , and to deal with panic situations - Disaster management.

[Deskdirect]

As a member of the music industry community I salute the efforts of the rock group Linkin Park for heading up Tsunami relief efforts with a generous contribution.

 

Our on-Line store is donating 10% of all sales.

 

Here is how you can get involved.

 

In response to the massive appeal for aid in the earthquake and tsunami stricken areas of Southern Asia, concerned musicians and fans along with the American Red Cross, have formed Music For Relief. All donations go directly to aid the victims and their families. You can also help those affected by this crisis, and countless others around the world each year, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance, and other support to those in need (including those affected by the recent tsunamis in Asia and Africa). Donate through the American Red Cross' Web site, at http://www.musicforrelief.org or by phoning 800-HELP-NOW.