ASIA/INDIA - The Church in front line to help seaquake victims: A Religious Brother in Nagapattinam one of the most affected areas, reports to Fides

Manithlayam (Fides Service) -“The local Church, missionaries and NGOs were the first to reach affected areas with material help for the victims of the tsunami”, Brother Victor General, Regional Superior of the Franciscan Missionary Brothers (CMSF) in the Tamil-Nadu region told Fides.
“For the moment - Brother Victor said - what is needed is medicine, water, food and clothing presently being distributed by missionaries and NGOs. Whereas plans are being made for long term aid expected to last for some months. Most of the aid being distributed comes from people of good will all over India. We are still waiting for aid promised by the government”. Brother Victor said that in Tamil Nadu and other states of India Catholic volunteers are working alongside civil and international organisations and that Catholic dioceses all over the country are collecting money and material goods for the stricken people. “Material is collected in parishes and schools. Then it is parcelled up and delivered where necessary. Several NGOs are working with the local Church to distribute aid”. Missionaries are assisted by dedicated lay Catholics who come from all over Tamil Nadu and even from as far away as Kerala on the other side of India.
Brother Victor described the situation in India: “The official figure for the number of dead is 14.000 but many more are still missing and the total number will only be known in the coming weeks because many corpses are still under the sand. The areas most affected were Kanyakumari and Nagapattinam. In Kanyakumari three villages Colachal, Manakudi and Kottilpadu no longer exist. People have lost everything, the tsunami robbed them of their homes, fishing boats and nets and livelihood”.
(RG) (Agenzia Fides 5/1/2005 righe 27 parole 264)