Continued Support By Salvation Army for Southern Asia Tsunami Catastrophe

Along the coastal vicinities devastated by the tsunami, the Salvation Army relief team valiantly continue to distribute hundreds of small kerosene stoves for hungry families, learning to prepare basic food supplies for themselves. The Salvation relief team ambitiously plan to reconstruct and improve the multitude of feeding kitchens providing hot food, as more survivors become self-sufficient and gradually adapt to new facilities.

Situated near Nagercoli (a predominantly Roman Catholic community) the Salvation Army’s Catherine Booth Hospital will be working diligently to reestablish two villages in the Kanyakumari district on the southernmost tip of India. The Booth Hospital expects the local government to request its help in rebuilding, relocating and resettling traumatised survivors and families into new premises and better homes.

Around the Indian Ocean, the enormity of damage and destruction has affected the livelihoods of many fishermen’s principal means of earning a living . The task of restoring the once thriving fishing economy will begin with simple operations like supplying and replacing fishing-boats and nets, throughout the coastal regions mostly affected by the tsunami. Lieut-Colonel Roland Sewell (IHQ) flew to the Andaman Islands with Salvation Army representatives from India. Despite the evidence of destruction found there, the Army hope to make an important contribution to the rebuilding of the devastated communities.

Sri Lanka
Close to Galle in the south of this beautiful island, an unoccupied conference centre converts into the Salvation Army’s base for relief and development activities, on the perimeter of the town Hikkaduwa.

Captain Mike McKee (IHQ): "For those made homeless by the tsunami, I expect the Army will build 1,000 houses in the region of Galle. Near our location, the world’s largest manufacturer of earth-moving equipment --U.S. based Caterpillar Inc.-- has already made available it’s heavy lifting equipment for the Salvation Army’s requirements, free of charge.
Jaffna

Captain Peter Hammond (UK) flew to this northern tip of Sri Lanka on Saturday, where he met with the Salvation Army corps officer and local authorities. Captain Hammond reports, "Although there is a need for other basic supplies and temporary accommodation, there’s certainly no shortage of food or water.

"Presently, for the recommencement of classes, we have temporary shelter for 174 families living within a school building and must obtain cooking utensils for 5,000 families. All authorities appreciate the Salvation relief worker’s tireless efforts. We are pleased to be here. There is much work to be done."

While he was there, Captain Hammond was able to assist in the distribution of food to the 174 families living in the government school building. Few NGOs are operating in this Tamil-held part of northern Sri Lanka. The Salvation Army, on the other hand, has been working there for many years. Its local corps had just completed a distribution of food in the community as part of their Christmas programme when the tsunami struck on Boxing Day. Their return with food, water and other essentials within hours of the disaster cemented a special relationship with the people in this area.

Batticaloa
Situated on the east coast of Sri Lanka, where the Salvation Army have a church and girls’ home, local relief team-members have helped to distribute food and other essentials immediately after the tsunami disruption. Reports confirm that though the home sustained some damage, all the children were safe.

Meulaboh
In this remote part of Indonesia, the Salvation team has been able to penetrate into ravaged coastal areas, escorted by the military. This region is under the control of the military, and all relief is conducted under its supervision.

The leader of the assessment and relief team, Lieut-Colonel Dawn Sewell (IHQ) is returning to London this week. He is being replaced by Major Dina Ismael, a former leader of The Salvation Army's International Emergency Services Steering Committee, who is Indonesian. The Salvation Army appears to be one of only 10 non-governmental organisations to have made it to Banda Aceh.