wfn.org | LWF Media Advisory - India*s Tsunami-Affected Areas

["Frank Imhoff" <Frank.Imhoff@elca.org>]

LWF Department for World Service Director Assesses India's Tsunami-Affected Areas

GENEVA, 20 January 2005 (LWI) - Mr. Robert Granke, director of the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Department for World Service (DWS) is
visiting India's tsunami-affected areas to assess the appropriate LWF
response after the December 26 disaster, reported to have left some
220,000 people dead. More than one million were displaced in several
countries around the Indian Ocean region.

"We are already working in India through our partners on the ground. We
will be there for a long time in expression of the LWF's deeper commitment
to restoring livelihoods that have been completely shattered by this
catastrophe," Granke said prior to departing on the January 19-23
assessment mission.

Accompanied by Mr. Howard Jost, director of the LWF/DWS program in India,
he will visit Cuddalore and Pondicherry in the southeast where the LWF
field program and Chennai-based United Evangelical Lutheran Church in
India (UELCI) are collaborating in distribution of relief items to the
affected people, and construction of temporary shelters. Several UELCI
churches are present in the worst affected areas.

Out of the estimated 10,000 tsunami-related deaths in India, nearly 75
percent occurred on the southeast coast, particularly the state of Tamil
Nadu. Thousands more are reportedly missing and over 140,000 mostly from
fishing communities, are temporarily housed in relief centers.

Granke is available for media interviews in India.
Requests should be sent to LWI editors,
Pauline Mumia
pmu@lutheranworld.org
Tel +41 22 791 6354 or
Dirk-Michael Grötzsch
dmg@lutheranworld.org
Tel +41 22 791 6353.