Death toll from quake, tsunamis reaches 68,000

Asian Economic News, Jan 10, 2005

COLOMBO, Dec. 29 Kyodo

The death toll from the powerful earthquake and tsunamis that struck southern Asia on Sunday has hit 68,000, with thousands more fatalities confirmed in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, Reuters reported Wednesday.

''The death toll (in Indonesia) is now 32,502 people,'' Social Ministry spokesman Syafruddin told Reuters. That represents a rise from 27,174, a figure released late Tuesday night.

Rescue workers in Sri Lanka, meanwhile, reported another 3,009 deaths from the earthquake-triggered tidal waves, taking Sri Lanka's toll to 21,715, the Associated Press quoted government social service officer Nimal Wanigasuriya as saying. The government had on Tuesday night put the toll at 18,706.

At least 802 people died when tsunami waves destroyed a train that was traveling up the coast of eastern Sri Lanka.

In Thailand, as of 9 p.m. Tuesday, the death toll stood at 1,538, according to the country's Department of Disaster and Mitigation.

At least 4,000, possibly more than 7,000, were killed in India, Malaysia has 65 confirmed deaths, the Maldives 43, Myanmar 90 and Australia six. In Somalia, the toll was estimated in the hundreds. Deaths have also been reported in Tanzania and Kenya.

The death toll in southern Asia is expected to rise further as the full impact of the devastation unfolds. Multitudes of people are still reported missing and unaccounted for.

The U.N. Children's Fund estimates that one-third of all deaths and injuries will be sustained by children.

With millions of people affected in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Maldives, and other countries, the United Nations has said its agencies are working with governments to assess pressing priorities and provide immediate assistance.

Hundreds of thousands of people who survived the tsunamis are in dire need of shelter, water, medical supplies and other urgent assistance.

UNICEF said it is concerned about providing safe water, which is urgent in all these countries to prevent the spread of disease. For children, the next few days will be the most critical.

The World Health Organization warned on its website that overcrowded shelter facilities provide favorable conditions for acute respiratory infections, while overcrowding and poor hygiene in temporary camps could trigger outbreaks of different diarrheal diseases.

It also noted that Southeast Asia is endemic for malaria and dengue fever, and flooding and stagnant water create favorable conditions for mosquitoes.