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World comes to our rescue

by Manjula Fernando and Ranil Wijayapala

Firemen from the Gard Province prepare emergency material to build a field hospital to be sent to Sri Lanka to help the victims of the tsunamis.

Pakistani workers load relief material into an army’s C-130 aircraft in Rawalpindi. A Pakistani army’s C-130 aircraft carrying relief goods left for Sri Lanka hit by the Tsunamis.

Israeli soldiers pack humanitarian supplies before loading it onto an Israeli army airplane on its way to Sri Lanka.

As the scale of Sunday's tidal wave disaster began to unravel with all its horror and devastation, foreign aid started to pour in with more than 16 countries pledging assistance to the stricken victims in the coastal areas.

According to the latest figures the tsunami tidal wave claimed over 13,000 lives and displaced nearly 1.5 million.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said India, Pakistan, Russia, Japan, US, UK, China, Nepal, Greece, Israel, Australia, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Netherlands made aid pledges through their missions in Colombo in response to the Government's plea immediately after the disaster.

"We have requested medical supplies, pre-cooked or ready to eat food, blankets, water, tents, linen, pulses, rice and portable generators as immediate relief and are looking forward to support for housing rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure in the devastated areas as medium term assistance from the international community," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Planes carrying relief goods have already arrived in the country from France and Russia. Five Indian flights carrying rescue teams and medical personnel were expected yesterday.

The Russian Government dispatched two planes with medical supplies, rescue teams together with sniffer dogs and other relief goods such as tents, blankets etc. on Monday. An Air France Airbus 310 carrying medical teams and supplies landed at the Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday. A 20 member Japanese team of doctors, nurses and paramedics too have been dispatched to Sri Lanka.

Four Indian vessels with diving and medical teams have been dispatched to assist local officials in the rescue mission and relief distribution. Two have already berthed in Trincomalee port and another was expected at Galle port yesterday.

Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Netherlands will be sending relief assessment teams to jointly work with the State officials. Israel has pledged emergency medical personnel and medical supplies to treat people in refugee camps and hospitals, the spokesman said.

The United Nations have also rushed to answer the emergency plea by the Government and a team comprising eight representatives from UNDP, UNICEF, WHO and members from Geneva based Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs Office is to arrive shortly to assist the government in assessment and relief coordination activities.

The team, working in collaboration with National Disaster Management Centre, will visit affected areas and meet officials including Government Agents. The Prime Minister's Office announced that they received Rs. 60 million in cash donations from the business community on Monday.

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