Tsunami relief efforts update

Br. Dayamrita Chaitanya

Aum Amriteswaryai Namah

The cleaning inside the ashram is at full swing. Even computer mother boards had to be taken out and washed, for sand was deposited on these. There are 1000 villagers still staying at the Engineering college. More than 15, 000 people are still fed every day with hot food. We are also supplying food to 9 other camps.

Food, essentials and medical aid continues to be provided to evacuees at the camps as usual.

Psychiatrists from AIMS have also come to help the medical team as there are many cases of trauma and depression.

Ashram cleaning teams make regular rounds of campsites.

AYUDH, the Math's youth wing, is actively participating in the cleaning.

A meeting of Amma with the local village councils from the coastal belt has been conducted to discuss future steps for rehabilitation

Amma is planning to build temporary tents for the villagers who have lost their homes.(Most of the villagers have indeed lost their homes) 1000 Rs (around 25$) will be given to each person to buy essential items to support their present living. The budget is estimated around 50 Crores INR.(12 million USD) The major cost will be to build houses and other facilities. As earthquakes have become a common phenomenon in Kerala and other parts of India, the cost of building houses has gone up dramatically. Earlier there was no need for earthquake proofing and now the extra costs is for a foundation that can absorb these shocks.

Relief work is also in full swing in the other parts of the country. Immediately after the tsunami struck on the fateful Sunday, 26th December 2004 till date the Chennai ashram has fed more than 50,000 displaced people, distributed clothes, biscuits, water packets, bath soaps, detergent soaps, toothpastes, toothbrushes, water pots & mugs.

A Tsunami Disaster Relief Cell was opened at Tiruvanmiyur to co-ordinate the relief operations. Devotees of Amma contributed with an open hand and heart.

In Kovalam, Pudhu Nemeli & Mahabalipuram Kuppam the relief work is going on a war footing. All the huts, fishing nets, catamarans, boats were destroyed and the losses suffered in these 3 villages runs into crores. Doctors from Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences along with an ambulance stocked with medicines treated the injured and sick at every village along the East Coast Road. Doctors are also working round the clock in Chennai, Kanyakumari and Nagapattanam.

Namah Sivaya,
Dayamrita
.

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