Government and aid agencies rally to help

New Zealand aid agencies and the Government are pledging hundreds of thousands of dollars to countries whose coastal communities have been wrecked by the tsunamis.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said yesterday that the Government would donate $500,000 to a Red Cross appeal to help countries struggling to deal with the catastrophe.

New Zealand Red Cross said it would give an immediate $60,000 to assist Red Cross societies in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The acting director-general Andrew McKie said the $60,000 from its disaster relief funds would help with the distribution of non-food items such as water containers, mosquito nets and first aid supplies.

Red Cross worker Douglas Clark would fly from New Zealand to the Sri Lanka capital, Colombo, today to join an international Red Cross team to assess the level of damage and needs and to help co-ordinate relief efforts.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies had launched a preliminary appeal for $8.5 million to help about 500,000 people and bring immediate support to relief operations.

The acting head regional delegation for the South Asian Region Office, New Zealander Alan Bradbury, told the Herald from Delhi yesterday that things were "pretty crazy" and he had been getting calls from 3am.

The International Federation was sending medical supplies for 100,000 people into Sri Lanka, the country hardest hit by the disaster.

Medicines to treat up to 2000 possible cases of diarrhoeal disease would be part of the shipment.

Mr McKie said the biggest health risk would be the spread of waterborne diseases, particularly malaria and diarrhoea, as well as respiratory tract infections.

An important part of the operation would also be tracing lost relatives.

World Vision New Zealand chief executive Helen Green said the organisation was able to respond quickly to victims of the tsunami damage in India and Sri Lanka because it had people on the ground.

"We've been able to respond immediately with rescue teams, food parcels and emergency shelter."

Oxfam NZ has also launched an appeal and its head, Barry Coates, hoped there would be a good response.

"Kiwis are all too aware of the dangers of earthquakes and tsunamis and we hope they will respond generously so that we can get help to the victims of this disaster," he said.

Phil Esmonde, head of Oxfam in Sri Lanka, said survivors were at risk from disease or dehydration. Floodwaters had contaminated wells, and clean water was scarce.

The organisation had sent 60 1000-litre water tanks to Trincomalee, one of the worst-affected areas. It was already distributing plastic sheeting for temporary shelter.

Call for help

To make a donation Red Cross: 0900 31 100 to make $20 donations

Christian World Service: 0800 74 73 72, PO Box 22-652, Christchurch

Oxfam: phone donations 0800 600 700

TEAR Fund: 0800 800 777

World Vision: 0800 80 2000

Caritas: 0900 411 11 for $20 donations, PO Box 12-193 Wellington

To inquire about relatives Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 0800 432 111