2nd Lead (Adds contact details)
TRO appeals for urgent assistance
[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 December 2004, 12:50 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an independent Non-Governmental Organization registered with Government of Sri Lanka, appealed to the Tamil expatriates Sunday to donate towards meeting the humanitarian crisis unfolding following the tsunami wave triggered flooding in residential areas along the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. Majority of families affected were from the NorthEast of Sri Lanka.
Full text of TRO's media released issued in Vanni Sunday follows:
The North and East coast of the Island of Sri Lanka has been
devastated by unexpected tidal waves which have swamped several
villages and towns in the Amparai, Mullaitivu Batticaloa Trincomalee
and Vadamarachi districts.
Violent waves entered villages located up to 3 kilometres from the
coast in the districts of Batticaloa and Trincomalee. According to
the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) working in these
districts at least 2,000 people are unaccounted for. The majority of
those unaccounted for are women and children. The TRO along with the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and an army of civilian
volunteers are working together to provide immediate relief and
transport to those affected by the bloods, to safer areas.
The Trincomalee district is now said to be free of the flood with
survivors being housed at the St Xavier and Jamalia High Schools.
6 bodies are being temporarily held at the Trincomalee General
Hospital; more than 300 bodies have been discovered in the Mutthur
area and 52 bodies in the Vadamarachi district. Over 300 people are
being treated for shock and injuries in hospitals in the Vadamarachi
district. In mullaitivu district hundreads of deaths reported.
People are unable to return to their villages as there is uncertainty
and fear of further tidal waves.
TRO's resources are badly stretched in meeting the immediate needs of
the people affected by these floods.
TRO appeals to the International Community for urgent assistance to
help meet this crisis.
The entire proceeds of the donations to be made in response to TRO's
appeal on TTN's and IBC today and tomorrow are to be used exclusively
to provide immediate relief to the victims of the tidal wave.
TRO calls upon the Tamil diaspora to respond generously and urgently
in this hour of need. It directs this public appeal to all Tamil organisations (temples, churches, businesses, social association's
etc) throughout the world."
For Information on donations, please use:
TRO websites:
trousa.org |
troonline.org |
trofr.com |
troswiss.ch |
tamiltro.dk |
trocanada.org
TRO Bank account in Colombo, Sri Lanka:Bank A/C:
01607837001
Standard Chartered Bank
Wellewatte Branch
Colombo 06
Sri Lanka
TRO
410/112, Buller Street
Buddhaloga Mawatha
Colombo 7
Phone: +94 11 269 32 54
Fax: +94 11 471 65 76
Telephone numbers in USA:
Seattle, Washington.......360-5140747
North Carolina................919-7837519
Chicago, Illinois.............920-9070911
Columbus, Ohio.............614- 8322010
New Jersey.....................609-7797746
California.......................661-9421036
California.......................626-8067178
California.......................626-3368334
California.......................916-2533945
California.......................408-7368094
Florida...........................954-3454236
Florida...........................954-6756883
Florida...........................239-8502571
Kansas..........................620-3436292
Tennessee.....................615-3086862
MA................................781-9427087
New York.......................718-6579463
Maryland.......................301-7292722
NY (Buffalo)...................716-8648236
Texas...........................972-3702532
Send your US checks to:
Tamils Rehabilitation Organization
517 Old Town Road, Cumberland, Maryland 21502