AmeriCares Sends Relief

 To Earthquake Victims

NEW HAVEN (AP) — Humanitarian aid organization AmeriCares has begun emergency relief efforts to help millions of people affected by the powerful earthquake Sunday that devastated southern Asia.

The Stamford-based group was preparing emergency relief flights that will bring medicines and medical supplies, water purification treatments, and other types of assistance to the affected areas.

“We are moving quickly to help the survivors and to prevent further loss of life on the other side of the world,’’ said Carol Shattuck, chief administrative officer of AmeriCares. “We have spoken to our partners and to government officials in the affected countries and will continue to bring support as long as it is needed.’’

Another Connecticut-based humanitarian organization, Save the Children, also said it is moving quickly to assist children and families affected by the earthquake.

Save the Children said it is mobilizing a response to the areas hardest hit and already has begun to coordinate with local and international aid agencies to provide relief supplies, including shelter and basic necessities for children and their families in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

Save the Children has created the Asia Earthquake/Tidal Wave Relief Fund. “We are urging the American public to assist us in this critical effort,’’ said Rudy Von Bernuth, who is coordinating Save the Children’s response.

Early reports indicate that nearly 20,000 people have been killed, with Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India having the greatest number of casualties. The death toll is expected to grow even higher.

The tragedy began Sunday morning when a massive 9.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island in the Indian Ocean. In its aftermath, staggering tidal waves of up to 20 feet high obliterated seaside resorts and villages in the surrounding countries, causing death and destruction in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Burma, and Bangladesh.

“In terms of geographic scope, I’ve never seen anything this wide-ranging,’’ said Christoph Gorder, vice president of international programs for AmeriCares. “You’re dealing with thousands and thousands of miles between victims.’’

The medical supplies are designed to deal with the expected outbreak of diseases caused by earthquake victims living in unsanitary conditions. The AmeriCares relief effort will include water purification treatments to provide four million liters of clean drinking water.

“What we’re going to see is a massive public health and epidemiological disaster unfolding over the coming weeks and months,’’ Mr Gorder said.

AmeriCares’ initial response includes a major airlift to Sri Lanka and additional relief shipments to other affected countries such as Indonesia, India, and Thailand, where more than a million people have been displaced from their homes. An AmeriCares emergency response team left Monday evening for Sri Lanka.

AmeriCares officials said the disaster is a stark reminder of last year’s earthquake in Iran, which also occurred on December 26. That quake, which lasted just 13 seconds, killed 40,000 people and destroyed the ancient city of Bam. AmeriCares responded immediately to that emergency, sending an airlift of 72,500 pounds of medicine and supplies to aid the 20,000 survivors.

To support AmeriCares relief efforts in Southeast Asia, log onto www.americares.org or call 800-486-HELP (4357).

To support Save the Children’s emergency response efforts, contributions should be made to: Save the Children, Asia Earthquake/Tidal Wave Relief Fund, 54 Wilton Road, Westport CT 06880, or call 800-728-3843.