Six thousand said missing in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 December 2004, 10:35 GMT]
More than 54,000 families have been displaced in the Batticaloa-Amparai districts due to the tidal wave that struck the North-East coast two days ago. Information is meagre with little improvement in the telephone service. TRO sources said that around six thousand are missing. The displaced are temporarily accommodated in welfare centers located in schools and public buildings.


Children killed by tsunami in Batticaloa.

Seven hundred and twenty six bodies were brought to the Batticaloa hospital until Monday afternoon. Only five hundred and twenty three of these have been identified by firends and relatives, doctors at the Batticaloa teaching hospital said. More bodies are being brought in every hour, according to them.

However, three hundred and fifty bodies were cremated at government expense before anyone could identify them as these were putrefying.

Many families have been swept away by the tidal waves completely and therefore identification becomes a difficult task.

Following update is obtained from the LTTE Political Division in Batticaloa:

"In the Batticaloa district, the worst affected areas are Kalladi, Navaladi, Mugaththuvaram, Dutch Bar, Seelamunai and Navatkuda. The village of Navaladi has been completely wiped out. Since Batticaloa hospital is full of dead bodies and cannot accommodate any more, the Divisional Secretaries have been advised to instruct Grama Sevakas (village officials) to arrange burial in the places where retrieval is done."

"It is reported that many of the hospital employees have lost their kith and kin and therefore there is an acute shortage of staff in the hospital. The medical officers are engaged in round the clock services over 800 injured are being treated in the Batticaloa hospital."

"It is reported that many of the state employees are also dead crippling departmental activities. Anaippanthy temple, Hindu College, Vivekanandha Vidyalaya, Sivanantha Vidyalaya, Eastern University and the Technical College are some of the public buildings utilised to accommodate the refugees."

"Community groups in Batticaloa are concerned that no governmental assistance has yet reached Batticaloa and neither have any ministers visited the eastern district. Bodies found floating underneath Kalladi bridge, could cause a serious health hazard if there is any delay in removal and disposal of the dead. "