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Church World Service
Emergency Response Update:
Southern Asia Tsunami Recovery
March 18, 2005
SITUATION: The total number of deaths is 167,962, at least 128,329 are still missing, and more than 1 million are displaced as a result of the December 26, 2004, earthquake and tsunami that originated off the west coast of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. Countries affected are Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Maldives, Malaysia, Somalia, Seychelles, Myanmar, Tanzania, Bangladesh, and Kenya.
This is an information update on CWS response activities and developments from March 1 - March 15.
INDONESIA:
Distributions (from March 1 - March 15):
+++ Food and non-food items: CWS staff continues daily provisions to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living with host families in rural areas of Banda Aceh. Since March 1, CWS staff has reached 161 households (more than 800 persons), providing high-energy food biscuits and dried food packages, CWS blankets, 350 mattresses, 300 mosquito nets, CWS "Gift of the Heart" Health kits, Baby Kits, School kits and relief kits (personal hygiene items) donated by Mennonite Central Committee.
+++More CWS "Gift of the Heart" Kits and Blankets have arrived by truckload in Banda Aceh from the CWS warehouse in Medan and are ready for distribution -- 21,500 Health Kits, 40,845 School Kits, 11,250 blankets (items valued at $692,838).
Health and Nutrition:
+++Since March 1, CWS has contributed 10 IMA medicine boxes (enough medicines for approximately 10,000 persons for 3 months) to government-operated primary health clinics. Additional medicine boxes went to Langsa Hospital and Aceh Tamiang Hospital. CWS has also transported medicines to seven other districts and cities for use in medical facilities.
+++The CWS medical team with the Mobile Clinic continues to provide daily health services and conduct follow-up to assessments in a number of communities that do not have existing health services.
Water/Sanitation:
+++In Meulaboh, the water purification units are currently producing around 100,000 liters of clean water a day. CWS in collaboration with Oxfam have delivered and set up two 45,000-liter water tanks.
+++CWS Indonesia has delivered water tanks to 15 IDP camps in 15 villages in Banda Aceh. Each tank or 'pillow' holds 1,000 liters of water (300 U.S. gallons). CWS is also partnering with Oxfam and the Spanish Red Cross staff to install seven additional 1,000-liter water tanks to serve returning families. The water-project group is also installing a 10,000-liter water filtration system that will serve 250 households. CWS continues to receive requests for water distribution points from UNHCR and community leaders.
+++CWS is the lead organization in providing boreholes in the area. So far, 21 water sources have been rebuilt or repaired through the efforts of CWS staff. The CWS water-team is also exploring other viable locations for successful water extraction.
+++CWS has built 52 latrines, constructed 9 temporary latrines and 24 pour-flush latrines. UNHCR has asked CWS to provide one camp with shower and washing facilities and a 10,000-liter water tank.
SRI LANKA:
+++CWS partner Sarvodaya is managing 14 camps for displaced persons and distributing CWS tents to families in need. "Many of the survivors require economic and livelihoods assistance to begin the recovery process," reports Sarvodaya. "People want to earn the food they receive everyday."
INDIA:
+++ Menno Wiebe, Tsunami Response Coordinator participated in a coordinated visit of Action By Churches Together International (ACT) partners in India to observe tsunami relief projects implemented by CWS partners and ACT members Church's Auxiliary for Social Action, Lutheran World Service-India and United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India (UECLI).
+++ On April 1 & 2, CWS partner and ACT member UELCI, with the National Lutheran Health & Medical Board and Christian Medical College & Hospital will host the Asia Pacific Congress on Disaster in Chennai India. The event will bring together a host of International organizations and experts to share experiences in the post-tsunami recovery and plan ways to strengthen and more effectively coordinate humanitarian assistance in order to speed recovery and rehabilitation of affected communities.
Contributions to support CWS Tsunami Recovery efforts may be sent to your denomination or directly to:
Church World Service
Tsunami Recovery (Acct. #6970)
P.O. Box 968
Elkhart, IN 46515
Contributions may also be made by
credit card by calling: (800) 297-1516, ext. 222, or
on-line at
S. Asia Tsunami Recovery