Tsunamis destroy lives of poorest of the poor

By Gesine Wolfinger, Diakonie Emergency Aid/ACT International

photos by ACT Communicator Paul Jeffrey

Nagapattanam, India, January 3, 2005 - Death and destruction came from the very ocean that provided the only source of income to the poorest of the poor in India's southern coastal regions. The fishermen, who with their families lived next to the shoreline, close to their boats, now have nothing. The tsunamis swept everything away, including the thousands of people who did not survive the giant tidal waves. The state of Tamil Nadu alone saw some 7,700 lives lost on the morning of December 26, 2004. One of the state's districts, Nagapattanam, was particularly hard hit, with loss of life confirmed so far at 5,800 deaths.

Thousands more lost their homes, their belongings, their livelihoods and above all, their loved ones.

Verammal, who lives in the small village of Kallar near Nagapattanam, lost four of her grandchildren. Another is being treated in the hospital. A week after the tragedy struck, all she could do was weep, her grief overwhelming.

Her son, Ravi, showed us photos of his 9-year old daughter, Hema. Then, he showed us her small grave. She had been playing in the front of her parents' house when the killer wave came and took her away.

While Ravi talked, the extent of the trauma he and his family suffered became clear. He spoke about the wave coming out of the blue, crashing over everything and taking with it his family, his home and his life. Like that of his mother, Ravi’s grief and suffering were painful to witness, as was that of 26-year-old Anandavel, who lost both her children. Her whole body trembled as, in tears, she recounted the events of a week ago when her children were taken from her. Her brother and his wife were also killed on that fateful morning. She will become their sons' caregiver.

It is a grief and pain that can be multiplied by the thousands as south India continues to grapple with the devastation brought on by the December 26 catastrophe.

ACT member Church's Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) is one of the humanitarian agencies that has been assisting those who survived the tsunami in Nagapattanam district. Bringing relief by distributing material aid, however, is only one way of addressing the needs of people, said the director of CASA, Sushant Agrawal. "They [also] need trauma counseling," he said. "And we are trying to assist them in this way as well. We want to give them hope and strength for the future. We and our partners will do everything to relieve their lives."

But, given the enormity of people's losses of those they loved, he continued, "Whatever we give them, no matter how much, it can never be enough."

CASA has already completed an emergency feeding program through the local church networks, reaching thousands of people in the most affected areas. Distribution of food and non-food items to assist 50,000 families started first thing this morning (Monday, January 3), with families in the Nagapattanam area receiving tarpaulins. The next three days will see a rollout of other distributions in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. CASA has set up five regional response teams, three in Tamil Nadu, one in Andhra Pradesh, and one in Kerala. Beneficiaries are being identified with the help of community leaders). In Tamil Nadu alone, CASA will bring assistance to some 40 villages along the coastline, serving 30,000 families. After the crisis phase relief efforts, CASA plans to rehabilitate houses and people's livelihoods, which will happen over a period of two years. CASA also plans to implement its community-based disaster preparedness program, which has proved successful in many other parts of India, where CASA traditionally responds to disasters.

CASA is one of the partners Disciples/WOC is supporting as part of our response to the tsunami tragedy.