News on tsunami

Report on tsunami in Batticolai,
East Sri Lanka

Copy of email from Rev. Jeynesan

Dear friends,

I am sorry I could not write to you earlier due to doing things in Batticaloa and Trincomalee. Besides, the power lines and the telephone lines were broken down and we could not communicate with each other. I am glad Internet services have resumed today.

The first wave came just after 9.30 A M on Sunday 26th December.

Fortunately it was a day time. Within 45 minutes, four times, the waves came, in some areas 30 to 40 feet high. Almost all the villages in the Northern and Eastern costal belt have been washed away or destroyed. Many thousands of people are wounded, missing or dead. The real numbers are not known yet.

The official figures announced this morning is 27 000, reported to be dead. I am sure it will be more than 40 000. In Batticaloa and Ampara alone more than 10 000 people are dead. Many thousands of bodies are under the rubble or trapped under destroyed buildings, buried under the sand or washed away in to the ocean.

Whole of Batticaloa is in a funeral mode. Every family either has lost their home or lost someone from their family.

The immediate needs are food, clothing, shelter, and basic cooking utensils. We are mobilizing all our resources; institutions, staff and doing the best possible.

Grace care centre in Trincomalee is affected very badly. Fortunately none of our staff and children who were there is affected. But many children went home for a week during Christmas. We are yet to know about their situation. All our furniture, beds mattress, linens and cloths are taken away by the water. Buildings are partly damaged. Three parish members who returned from the worship service are reported washed away by the water including two children.

Rallodai Church and the Day care center building on Vaharai road in Batticaloa are completely destroyed. All the villagers are in Valaichchernai in different camps.

Hermans girls home in Periyaneelavanai has completely washed away. Even the coconut plants and Mango trees are up rooted. The trees are closer to the main road. We could see the ocean from the road.

All the children were worshiping in the Church during the time of incident. Boys home Samuel and the Church buildings are partly damaged. People who were inside the Church were safe. 6 worshipers with Pastor Selvantha's wife and 11 months old son were washed away and died. We couldn't recover the bodies. Bodies are buried under the sand. We are still searching for the bodies.

There is 6 feet of sand at Hermans girls home and boys home Samuel.

We are recovering the bodies with the help of St.John's VTC students and burying in the places where they are, as most of the bodies are decomposed.

We are distributing food and clothes and utensils to the families in unreachable pockets. Many villages are still not reachable. No roads and water is still running across.

Clean water is also a major need. We are trying to clean a few water wells and chlorinate them.

Please do pray for us.

At this time of Crisis every one is together. Many people are giving their support.

We are grateful to our friends and partners for their support and concern.

We are grateful to God for His Mercies. It could have been worse.

I will keep you informed and update you on our operations.

Many people are asking for our bank account for sending donations. If anyone wants to send any contribution you may send your money straight to the bank. Please write to us and notify so that we can acknowledge the receipts and send you the reports.

Name of Bank - Hatton National Bank Limited,
Batticaloa,
Sri Lanka.

Name of Account :- St.John's Church
Uranee,
Batticaloa,
Sri Lanka.

Account Number : - 01 - 0196601 - 8

Please do uphold all the families affected in your prayers. And also pray for us for our operations.

Thanks.

Rev. S Jeyanesan