QSSS is rehabilitating 39 families displaced by Tsunami in Sakthikulangara at John De Britto Nagar and Carmel Avenue two habitats at Sakthikulangara. Honorable Minister for Water Resource Mr. Premachandran on 4pm 12 th July 2006 at Sakthikulangara.

QSSS is rehabilitating 15 Tsunami displaced peoples in the banks of Vattakayal Kozhikode. Honorable Minister for Transportation Mr. Mathew T Thomas will do the dedication function on the 11 th of July at Karunagapally.

QSSS Relief camps have been closed to facilitate the schools to reopen, some families have returned to their houses, those who have lost everything are being sheltered in new camps. Qsss have started a camp at azhikel St. Sebastian Church campus. Thousand people are accommodated in the camp but almost 2000 people come for meals. The camp was inaugurated on 17 th Jan 2005 , we have another camp at Sakthikulangara for 62 families, CARITAS and CRS (catholic relief services) assist for the camp, KCYM and Red Cross society (Maharashtra Branch) are co-sponsors. We are negotiating with the government for putting up temporary shelters for each family and also permanent houses.

Dear Friend,

Sub: TSUNAMI Disaster in Kollam

It was Sunday after Christmas - 26 th December. Around 9.30 a.m. the sea receeded to bare the rocks at the bottoms. People were amazed at the sight but it was the lull before the rushing waves that devastated entire villages.

Huge seismic sea waves triggered by a massive under sea earthquake off Sumatra in Indonesia ravaged through Sreelanka and almost plundered the coastline of Andaman Nicobar islands, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in Southern India. The earthquake which measured 8.9 on the Richter scale is counted as the most powerful in the last 40 years in the world. The aftereffect of Tsunami has left thousands dead in South East Asia and many more homeless.

As far as Kerala is concerned the giant tidal waves left its fury in all its velocity and wrath in Kollam district. The 35 km coastline of Kollam had always been a vulnerable point as regards sea erosion.

Alappad Panchayat in Kollam district which suffered the major chunk of disaster has a distinct geographic setting as the village is sandwiched between the sea and the river. This tiny strip of land with an average distance of 150 meters separating the sea and the river runs 18 kms from one end to the other end. And in that oweful day 140 people lost their lives and 3300 houses out of the 5700 houses in the village were rendered inhabitable.

From 26 th December 2004 to 2 nd January 2005 17000 people were sheltered in camps. Camps managed by the Govt. were supported by the voluntary organization. Quilon Social Service Society as a leading voluntary organization in the district co-operated in the massive relief operation.

About 60 houses in Kollam coast were washed above by the tidal waves on that oweful day. As the alert alarm remained for a week with sea continuing strange there was famine situation affecting our 5000 families.

Seven days after the strike of giant tidal waves the affected villages are trying to recover from the shock. Following may be noted.

•  The camps are being re-organised and number of people downsized. Those who took shelter only as a precaution have returned. Some camps have been completely closed.

•  These families who sustained only minor damages are being encouraged to go back to their houses under the assurance that they would be adequately compensated and resume normal life.

•  Those families whose family heads died are being shifted to a separate camp managed by Army.

•  Those families whose houses have been rendered inhabitable are now being shifted to new camps so as to enable the schools which housed them to re-open. This process will take a couple of days. The exact figure of the people who will be retained in the camps will be known only after a few days.

•  Govt. has begun taking stock of the damage. We are making a parallel assessment of the damage incurred by our stakeholders.

•  We have opened two Assistance Centers in the Alappad village to assist people going back to their house or to pick up what is left etc.

•  Our volunteers have been downsized in proportion to the above population reduction in the camps.

•  Supply of materials is adequate as the govt. and other organizations have responded magnanimously.

•  The famine situation in Kollam coast has been addressed by distribution of rice to affected families. The fishermen in Kollam coast are expected to resume work in a few days.

•  Last but not the least we are offering our services to undertake the rehabilitation of at least 300 houses, specifics of which are yet to be worked out.

Quilon Social Service Society is contemplating an Integrated Reconstruction Programme in two areas in Alappad Panchayat and in Sakthikulangara area. The components of the programme include a decent habitation built to the standards that will sustain the fury of nature at least considerably, sanitation facilities and drinking water systems using rainwater harvesting technology and common facilities. On a preliminary study we have estimated Rs. 100,000 (US $ 2380 at current exchange rate) for each of the house to be reconstructed.

We are appealing to the generosity of people of good will to join our Rehabilitation Mission. Contribution may be drawn in favour of “Quilon Social Service Society, Kollam”. You may also transfer your contribution to A/c No. 116/81 Catholic Syrian Bank, Hospital Road , Kollam-691 001, Kerala-India. Contribution will be acknowledged and we will brief you about the progress of Reconstruction Mission.

Thanking you in advance and with best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Fr. Romance Antony
Secretary