Sri Lanka bulletin No. 3 - 18 Feb 2005

Sri Lanka’s coastlines in the north, east, south and south-west of the country were overwhelmed by the tsunami that followed the undersea earthquake near Sumatra on 26 December. More than 30,000 people died in Sri Lanka, over half of them in the north and east. Of the approximately 500,000 people currently displaced from their homes, 169,000 are being housed in welfare centres (mostly temples and schools) or tented transit camps, while the rest are staying mainly with relatives or friends.

The ICRC, which has been present in northern and eastern Sri Lanka for 15 years, is coordinating the humanitarian response in those areas by components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including the German, French, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish and Swiss Red Cross Societies. It is also in charge of coordinating Movement efforts to restore family links in all countries affected by the disaster.