UN warns of possible epidemics in quake-hit Asia

UN warns of possible epidemics in quake-hit Asia

Robert Evans,
Reuters/Geneva

The United Nations warned on Monday of epidemics within days
unless health systems in Southern Asia can cope after more than
15,500 people were killed and hundreds of thousands left homeless
by a giant tsunami.

Aid agencies round the world rushed staff, equipment and money
to Southern Asia after huge waves, triggered by a massive
underwater earthquake, pummeled and swamped coastal communities
in at least six countries on Sunday.

"This may be the worst natural disaster in recent history
because it is affecting so many heavily populated coastal
areas ... so many vulnerable communities," the UN's Emergency
Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland told CNN.

"The longer term effects may be as devastating as .... the
tsunami itself," said Egeland.

"Many more people are now affected by polluted drinking water.
We could have epidemics within a few days unless we get health
systems up and running.

"Many people will have (had) their livelihoods, their whole
future destroyed in a few seconds."

Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia suffered the highest death
tolls but Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Bangladesh were also
hit by the surging walls of water. Government officials estimate
in Sri Lanka alone, 800,000 people were forced from their homes.

Experts said the top five issues to be addressed were water,
sanitation, food, shelter and health.

"We've had reports already from the south of India of bodies
rotting where they have fallen and that will immediately affect
the water supply especially for the most impoverished people,"
said Christian Aid emergency officer Dominic Nutt.

Some affected areas have had communications cut. Others are so
remote it is impossible to know the extent of the damage.

"This is a massive humanitarian disaster and the
communications are so bad we still don't know the full scale of
it. Unless we get aid quickly to the people many more could die,"
said Phil Esmond, head of Oxfam in Sri Lanka.

The Geneva-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies said it was seeking an immediate $6.5 million
for emergency aid funding.

"This is a preliminary appeal. It will be revised after exact
needs are evaluated," said Simon Missiri, head of the
federation's Asia Pacific department.

Earlier, the federation released $870,000 from its disaster
relief emergency fund to get assistance moving to the region.

"The biggest health challenges we face is the spread of
waterborne diseases, particularly malaria and diarrhoea, as well
as respiratory tract infections," said the Red Cross Federation's
senior health officer Hakan Sandbladh.

The federation said it would send an assessment and
coordination team to Sri Lanka, and had on standby several
emergency response units specialized in water and sanitation as
well as field hospitals.

The United States said it would offer "all appropriate
assistance" to Asian countries, with some aid already on its way
to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

"We're prepared to be very responsive," said U.S. State
Department spokesman Noel Clay.

The European Union (EU) pledged an initial three million euros
($4 million) and local news agency Belga said Belgium had
allocated its own 500,000 euros in emergency aid to be
distributed by Red Cross bodies and the EU.

Britain said it had offered what it called practical help.

"What we don't know is the number of people who've been
displaced, and what infrastructure has been affected. That's the
critical point," said Titon Mitra, emergency response director
for the CARE aid agency in Geneva.