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1. The Overall Situation
2. Efforts Today with contact phone numbers
3. Needs for Tomorrow (28th Dec 2004)
4. Relief efforts in Chennai
5. Support from other parts
6. Contacts
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The Tamilnadu Tsunami Relief Initiative has been set-up to facilitate information transfer between various entities involved in the relief and rehabilitation activities to the most affected people across Tamilnadu. This group will facilitate the information flow between agencies involved in mobilising resources and those working in the field directly initiating relief efforts. These Updates will provide information on a need / daily basis.

THE OVERALL SITUATION:
The situation as seen on television and as reported by many who have visited the site of the worst hit areas - Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Kanyakumari is rather bad. Many fishermen villages in these districts have been washed away with many people left with few members in their families. The causality as of this evening has risen to over 6000, but, there are many villages with dead bodies where not much relief effort has reached yet as most of the living ones have left the village. Nagapattinam town is said to be filled with the stench of the dead and decaying bodies. Tarangambadi is also very badly affected.
Around Chennai, relief efforts have started in the fishermen colonies by various groups. People have moved away from the coastal areas to further inland.

WORK TODAY:
1. Relief materials have been sent to victims stranded from villages around the town in Seergazhi in Cuddalore district. Totalling 10,000+, these people are from 6 villages in the neighbourhood. A truck load of materials have been sent consisting largely of bedding material, clothing and immediate medicine.
2. Two volunteers, Sri. Sathyamurthy (mobile: 9444364212) and Sri. Krishnan have accompanied the truck with materials. The materials will be distributed with the help of Smt. Subashini Sridhar of CIKS.
3. Relief material collection centres have been set-up by volunteers in different parts of Chennai:
a. Egmore, Smt. Chitra Nagesh (52142878);
b. Basent Nagar, Smt. Shanthi Krishna (24916884)
c. Mylapore, Smt. Varalakshmi (24640055)
d. Vadapalani, Smt. Sowmithri (23624552)
e. Madhavaram, Smt. Prasunamba (25553717)
VOLUNTEERS WELCOME: Volunteers from other parts, who can spend time collecting materials and packing them for transport to the relief areas and available most part of the day with a phone line in areas not indicated above are welcome.
4. A CII panel headed by Sri. Pandiarajan of MA FOI has come forward to provide all transport help for relief materials to reach their destination.

TOMORROW:
1. Smt. Subashini Sridhar of CIKS (www.ciks.org) at Sirgazhi, has given an assessment of the situation of the surrounding villages: Thirumulaivasal, Pazhauyyur, Pdhupattinam, Panagiri and Keezhamoovarkarai. People from all these villages have evacuated and are currently lodged in different public buildings in Seergazhi (about 10,000+ is the estimate). The villages have still not been visited by anyone and dead bodies are seen strewn all around along with dead cattle, many of them in a highly decomposed state. This has to be cleared for people to venture back into their village.
There is a danger of break out of cholera and other infectious deceases. The temporary camps in which people have been lodged too seems to be very unclean. The food supply by the government and other agencies is adequate, however, most people are in a very disturbed state: families have been torn asunder and many families have just one person left (including a 8 year old boy) and these people have no wish to go back to their villages. Many are ill but are not in a position to think of going for treatment as they are still to recover from the shock.
The following relief goods are required IMMEDIATELY:
- for re-establishing kitchens: stove and utensils, provisions - rice, pulses, oil, cooking fuel, baby food, ration of packed food food;
- toiletries: tooth brush, tooth paste, oil, soap (both toilet and detergent), liquid wash and disinfectants, sanitary napkins, etc.
- basic domestic needs: bedding, tarpaulin sheets for temporary shelter (till their houses are re-built)
- dresses: some dresses have arrived, but, they require change of clothing
- storage needs: packaging materials for keeping all the above, cases, bags

AT LEAST 10 Volunteers are needed to clear the temporary camps and make them comfortable for the people, get medical treatment organised for them.
A TEAM OF MEDICAL DOCTORS IS URGENTLY REQUIRED to attend to the affected people.

2. A group of young people are working in the Kalapettu town of Pondicherry on the ECR. There are 4 villages affected in this region - Kalapet, Kanachettikulam, Chinna kalapet and Pillaihavady. Over 6000 families have been rendered homeless, the death toll is said to be over 40. They have been provided shelter in the town in public buildings and the university campus and the Pondicherry government has been providing them with food. However, they have no homes to go back to and the food supply from the government will probably stop tomorrow. The FOLLOWING GOODS ARE required IMMEDIATELY:
- for re-establishing kitchens: stove and utensils, provisions - rice, pulses, oil, cooking fuel, baby food, ration of packed food;
- toiletries: tooth brush, tooth paste, oil, soap (both toilet and detergent), liquid wash and disinfectants, sanitary napkins, etc.
- basic domestic needs: bedding, tarpaulin sheets for temporary shelter (till their houses are re-built)
- storage needs: packaging materials for keeping all these, cases, bags
The team at Kalapet can ensure that the distribution is taken care of, they have been working busily ensuring health check-up and food packet distribution provided by the Pondicherry government all day today. Sri. Tamilmaran who is also a reporter with Raj TV is facilitating these along with the local police officials. BEDDING AND TEMPORARY SHELTER AND MINIMUM DOMESTIC NEEDS ARE URGENT HERE.

Both the above can be sent tomorrow if the required materials can be collected. Please help.

RELIEF EFFORTS IN CHENNAI:
CIOSA network (www.ciosa.org.in) is coordinating the relief material mobilisation through its member NGOs and also through corporate sponsorship. CIOSA can be reached over phone, Karthik Venkatesh (mobile) 9382858033 or Balamurugan (mobile)9444148476 or the CIOSA office fixed number 5551592. CIOSA also will play a nodal role in the rehabilitation efforts through its corporate and NGO partners.

Relief agencies in and around Chennai also by major other institutions including:
Exnora International: Contact Ms. Lavanya (24759477)
Sri Ramakrishna Math and Mission: Relief Team (24621110), the mission also intends to undertake long term rehabilitation efforts.
Gandhi Darshan Kendra will be involved in long term rehabilitation efforts based in Thiruthoraipoondi, contact Sri. P.N. Srinivasan (22234453) for further details.

SUPPORT FROM OTHER PARTS:
1. Sri. Anshu Gupta of Goonj (www.goonj.org), New Delhi has indicated that there will be relief clothing being brought to Chennai in the next few days.
2. Sri. Bhuvan Pathak of SIDH (www.sidh.org) is organising a team of volunteers from Gujarat with experience in handling post-quake relief efforts to visit Tamilnadu in the next few days.
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This Update compiled for Tamilnadu Tsunami Relief Initiative by Samanvaya
Knowledge Services for the Development Sector - www.samanvaya.com
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