HAMBANTOTA, Dec. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-AsiaNet//InfoQuest
Plan Sri Lanka's Program Unit Manager R W W Wijerathne reports from
Hambantota, a coastal district particularly hard-hit by the devastating
Tsunami, as part of its South East program unit. Mr Wijerathne managed to get
through to Hambantota within hours of receiving the news of the disaster.
According to recent figures 1,000 people in Hambantota District alone were killed -- some estimates stating that 1/3 of the dead in Sri Lanka are children and there are eye witness accounts of many more bodies still floating in
lagoons.
"One especially awful fact is that so many of the victims seem to be either young children or old people, who were least able to survive the savagery of the sea. Many had come in from surrounding villages to enjoy the market days
in three coastal urban centres when the waves struck," said Mr Wijerathne.
"Many are grieving for the death of children and other loved ones. Over
11,000 people in Hambantota District alone have lost everything -- their homes,
their means of livelihood, and even their clothes. Children are now in
temporary camps in temples and schools, where ensuring clean water, sanitation
and food is going to be a major problem."
Plan has launched an international appeal and is already in receipt of
pledges of over US$975,000 but much more is needed. Funds raised will be used
to support both short and long-term emergency relief and rehabilitation,
including much needed food, clothing, housing and fresh water.
Plan is committed to working with affected communities for the long term
and thus funds are required to both meet basic needs and also to support the
rehabilitation and restoration of family livelihoods.
Plan Sri Lanka quickly contributed $200,000 to the National Disaster
Coordinating Committee, $100,000 to support immediate relief needs throughout
the country which means that Plan's donation for emergency relief is already at
work, supporting hard-pressed government services and $100,000 earmarked for
rehabilitation in Hambantota District.
Plan is now identifying priority needs for relief and long-term
rehabilitation, 2 senior officials from Plan Asia, Michael Diamond, Regional
Director and Terence McCaughan, Regional Programme Support Manager are visiting
Hambantota to see the situation first hand and help identify priority needs for
relief and long term rehabilitation.
"Meeting the immediate needs is just the beginning of the problem. It
isn't just that people must rebuild their homes. Many must try to earn a living
again, having lost their means of livelihood. For example, many small open
fishing boats on which the areas economy largely depends, have been smashed,"
said Michael Diamond, Plan Asia's Regional Director.
In Asia, Plan also works with India, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh,
which have all been affected by the tsunami. In these countries, Plan can
confirm that none of the communities which which it works were hit by the tidal
waves. Plan Indonesia and Plan India are, however, working with local
government and partner agencies to assess the situation and support the
disaster response where required.
Plan is an international child centred community development organisation works in over 60 countries. Plan has no religious or political affiliation. Child sponsorship is the basic foundation of our work with children around the world.
For more information on Plan's work visit http:// www.plan-international.org.
Plan staff in Sri Lanka are available for interview.
For more information, please contact:
Arunee Achakulwisut
Communications Manager
Plan Asia Regional Office
Mobile: +66-9-893-6106
Tel: +66-2-576-1972-4
Fax: +66-2-576-1978
SOURCE Plan Asia Regional Office
--Distributed by AsiaNet (www.asianetnews.net)--