On Dec. 26, 2004, a powerful earthquake off the coast of Indonesia caused a devastating tsunami. This wave struck coastal areas from Indonesia to India and Sri Lanka, and across the Indian Ocean to Somalia and Kenya in Africa. More than a quarter million people were killed and many more million injured and left homeless.
A year after the tsunami hit, the scale of damage and human tragedy remains incomprehensible. The earthquake and tsunami not only destroyed infrastructure and livelihoods in addition to killing thousands of people, but left behind thousands of orphaned children. Many who survived continue to suffer from the psychological effects.
Signs of mental distress and disturbance are widespread and suicides in camps have been reported. Child survivors of the tsunami experienced an emotionally painful event in which they lost one or both parents and in some cases were separated from siblings or other family members. The shock of the event, the sudden loss from their homes and the distress of having routines disrupted in addition to living in overcrowded Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps is taking its toll. Therefore, moving out of the relief phase, restoring livelihoods is the most immediate challenge.
ELCA Lutheran and ecumenical partners such as the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India, Church World Service, and Yakkum Emergency Unit, members of Action by Churches Together, continue to walk with the people affected by the tsunami. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America International Disaster Response continues to provide financial support and accompany the people and relief work implementers in India and Indonesia. The ELCA will continue to monitor the rehabilitation work with its partners.
For more on the ELCA's response during the past year and resources for congregations and individuals, click the banner buttons under the photo at left. The general resources page has comprehensive information about relief and rehabilitation activities over the past year.
ELCA Disaster Response: Southeast Asia Tsunami
Fast facts
Total funds raised: more than $11,392,191
Disbursements to date
Phase 1 - Immediate response:
for the psychosocial and mental health management
project of the UELCI.
$150,000
support for Lutheran World Service
India.
$1,000
Tamil church relief implemented by UELCI
$15,000
relief in Nias, Indonesia through ACT
$100,000
for relief in Indonesia by Yakkum Emergency
Unit (YEU).
$50,000
for the rebuilding of churches in Indonesia, implemented by
Lutheran World Federation Department for Mission and Development.
Phase 2 and 3 - Rebuilding livelihood and developing
communities:
$200,000
for relief in Indonesia
through ACT
$300,000
United Evangelical Lutheran
Church in India Jubilee Village start-up funds.
$800,000
for relief and rebuilding in
Indonesia by Church World Service.
$500,000
for relief and rebuilding in
Indonesia by YEU.
$300,000
for rebuilding villages and
disaster preparedness in Indonesia by YEU.
$706,557
for various rehabilitation
projects in Sri Lanka through Lutheran World Relief.
$150,000
conflict relief in Sri Lanka
through ACT
$70,000
Dalit community rebuilding,
implemented by UELCI
$400,000
for rebuilding villages in Indonesia
by YEU.
ELCA International Disaster response is committed to be there for the
long-term. Disbursement of funds will be considered over a period of time in
response to particular needs for the rebuilding of
communities and people's lives.
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Download
Lutherans Respond:
A progress report on the response to the 2005 hurricanes
Worship
and other resources related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita for use in your
congregation and communities.
Go to
www.imageevent.com/4ldr to see and use, with noted photo credit,
Hurricane Katrina and Rita images. Contact ELCA Domestic
Disaster Response
communications if you have photos of Lutheran Disaster Response in
action that you are willing to share with others.
"What a
Relief!" - Over Spring
Break '06, nearly 1,100 college students
participated in the first-ever Lutheran Disaster Responsealternative spring break.They
lived and worked for a week in locations all along the Gulf Coast as
part of the long-term recovery efforts from the 2005 hurricane season.
“Mama P”
- A video related to the 2004 Tsunami in southern Asia.
