wfn.org | Church World Service South Asia Earthquake Response

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

   MEDIA ADVISORY CHURCH WORLD SERVICE
REGIONAL TEAMS DEPLOYED TO AID IN SOUTH ASIA EARTHQUAKE-TIDAL WAVE EMERGENCY

**EDITORS: SEE END OF RELEASE FOR "HOW YOU CAN HELP" LISTINGS INFORMATION.**

CONTACTS:
Christina Bahamonde Ali/CWS/New York Phone: (212) 
870-2658e-mail:cbahamonde@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin/New York/Boston - 24/7Phone: (212) 870-2654e-mail: jdragin@gis.net

NEW YORK CITY- Mon December 27- International humanitarian agency Church 
World Service (CWS) announced today that its Indonesia office is deploying an
emergency assistance team to aid in recovery efforts in Aceh, 
Indonesia,following Sunday's devastating earthquakes and tsunami that 
killed more than22,700 people in South Asia.

The Church World Service Pakistan/Afghanistan office may also assist with 
the sending of an assessment team to Sri Lanka. The New York City- 
headquartered agency is now further considering deploying rapid response 
support and airlifts of emergency shelter and hygiene materials and is 
issuing a U.S.-wide fundraising appeal for survivors of the disaster.

"We join with the international community in responding to this devastating 
situation," said CWS Emergency Response Program Director Rick 
Augsburger,"Initial assessments indicate that full recovery from this 
disaster will require significant resources. Further support and assistance 
from Church World Service will be forthcoming," he added.

  On Sunday, an initial earthquake struck 100 miles off the coast of 
Indonesia's Sumatra Island at around 7:00 a.m., measuring 9 in magnitude on 
the Richter scale, and
was part of a powerful series of earthquakes. The undersea quakes triggered 
enormous tidal waves which swept across the Indian Ocean, striking coastal 
regions of Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia,Thailand, Bangladesh, Burma and 
Malaysia. The tsunami also swept across the low-lying islands that make up 
the Maldives. The province of Aceh on Sumatra's northernmost tip near the 
epicenter of the undersea quake is reported to have been hit the worst.

CWS's Augsburger says,"Reports are that the island of Nias has been hit 
very hard.The island,which is generally underdeveloped, has a population of 
nearly 700,000 people. "In Aceh, the northernmost and war-torn province on 
the island of Sumatra," he said, "the death toll in the province9s capital 
of Banda Acehalone is now reported at  3,000." Augsburger said complicating 
factors could be that Aceh has become increasingly isolated from the world 
due a clampdown by the Indonesian government in an effort to control 
fighting between government soldiers and separatist rebels. Access by 
international relief and development agencies has been limited during the 
past year.

In Sri Lanka, a CWS emergency assistance team from its Pakistan/Afghanistan 
regional office may be deployed to support efforts by the national 
Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL). NCCSL is already responding to the 
emergency brought on by the massive sea surge, which swamped the country's 
southern, eastern and northern coastlines.  NCCSL reports that a sea surge 
triggered by the undersea quake caused massive inland tides (in some 
instances up to 2.5 km long) in places like Trinco, Batticaloa, Amaprai, 
Matara and Galle.

NCCSL also reports complete destruction in parts of the capital city 
Colombo along the seashore where many of the poorest of the city lived. The 
tides swept most of their
homes and belongings out to sea. Telephone lines are also down, making 
communication difficult. In India, CWS is providing financial support for 
regional response by its long-time partner Church's Auxiliary for Social 
Action (CASA). Two CASA teams of 15 people each are traveling to affected 
coastal area  today (Mon 12/27) to assess damages and needs.

Along India's southeastern coast, several villages appeared to have been 
swept away, and thousands of fishermen -- including 2,000 from the Chennai 
area alone -- who
were out at sea when the massive waves swept across the waters have not 
returned.  India Government officials said at least 2,300Indians were 
killed as a result of the massive waves. Across the entire region emergency 
officials say thousands are missing and more than a half million people 
have been displaced. CWS may also support other affected areas and 
anticipates updating its initial financial appeal as recovery actions expand.

***EDITORS: IN YOUR LISTINGS OF CHARITIES RAISING FUNDS FOR DISASTER 
VICTIMS OF THE SOUTH ASIA TSUNAMI, PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

Contributions to support CWS recovery efforts in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and 
India may be sent to

Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515
or by calling: (800)-297-1516 ext. 222.
Please designate contributions for emergency # 6970 SOUTHERN ASIA 
EARTHQUAKE-TIDAL WAVE EMERGENCY. For further information about disasters to 
which Church World Service is responding please visit the Church World 
Service website  http://www.churchworldservice.org

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