NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (AScribe Newswire) -- When the Tsunami hit Sri Lanka with 50-foot waves traveling more than 1.2 miles inland, the country was already reeling from floods two weeks earlier. Over a period of 10 days, floods had destroyed thousands of homes and half the local paddy fields, slashing January's projected food harvest by 75 percent and leaving 61,000 Sri Lankans affected.
"An estimated 650,000 Sri Lankans who have survived both disasters will be left homeless and at risk," said AAH country director in Sri Lanka. "The immediate challenge is to prevent cholera and other water-borne diseases, because the devastation has polluted water supplies. Clean, disease-free water is essential for drinking, cooking and washing." Action Against Hunger has the capacity to respond to meet the needs of 50,000 people.
A planeload of water pumps, tanks and purification equipment arrived on Tuesday sent by Action Against Hunger, and more deliveries are scheduled for this week. These will supply additional water-and-sanitation equipment as well as 10 tons of high-nutrition biscuits that will provide enriched nourishment to beneficiaries. In addition, Action Against Hunger's team is currently working to forestall the spread of disease by digging latrines and by delivering bodies to hospitals and morgues for identification and burial.
Action Against Hunger has been working in Sri Lanka since 1997 and has a 75-member team in place, which will be increased by nearly a dozen specialists who will arrive early in the coming days. The team will focus not only on immediate relief from hunger and disease but also on restoring Sri Lanka's self-sustainable sources of food and water.
Meanwhile, Action Against Hunger has a team in Indonesia and is mobilizing an assessment and supplies to be dispatched in the coming hours to Aceh to immediately respond to the situation and re-assessing of needs. We are distributing a cargo with first emergency items of protein biscuits, nutritional equipment, water tanks and pumps, and sanitation tools which will arrive at any moment to start emergency operations.
To make a tax-deductible contribution, please visit Action Against Hunger's Web site at www.actionagainsthunger.org and click on South Asia Tsunami Emergency Help Needed or send a check made out to Action Against Hunger, 247 West 37th Street, Suite 1201, New York, New York 10018.
Action Against Hunger has spokespeople available for interviews:
In Indonesia: Olivier Longue, Executive Director, 00 34 649193260; 008821650101255
In Sri Lanka: Olivia Acosta, Press Officer, 00 34 647 82 22 24
In New York: John Sauer, Communications Manager, New York, +1-212-967-7800 x 103; +1-917-548-7779
Action Against Hunger is part of an international network with headquarters in New York, Paris, Madrid, and London.
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