On 26 December 2004, an earthquake in the Indian Ocean triggered a tsunami that devastated India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Aceh. Over a quarter of a million people were killed and 1.5 million made homeless.
Caritas built over 9000 permanent shelters in Aceh, as well as 350 infrastructure projects such as schools, clinics, roads and markets.
“It would have taken longer to get back on our feet without Caritas. Things are good now. We have schools, hospitals and homes. The cooperative is going well and we have been able to improve the boats,” he said.
Tsunami affected communities in Sri Lanka.
Caritas organisations from India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand joined confederation members from around the world, Church and other religious leaders in Sri Lanka 3-5 December to remember victims of the 2004 Asia tsunami.
As South-East Asians increasingly migrate overseas in search of work, there is concern over the growing number of family members, particularly children, left behind in the home countries.
A Caritas team is on its way to the Indonesian island of Mentawai after a tsunami left hundreds of people dead and many missing.
“I am lucky,” said Elma, while getting treatment with her daughter in a medical tent supported by Caritas. “My family and I – we are alive.” When a violent earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra near the city of Padang on September 30, Elma was at home with her elderly mother.
On 30 September, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of West Sumatra, killing at least 787 people and leaving 241 missing. Over 180,000 houses were severely to moderately damaged. Assessment teams have witnessed between 70 percent and 100 percent of houses damaged beyond repair in remote villages. Caritas Internationalis humanitarian Director Alistair Dutton ...
An earthquake in the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004 triggered a tsunami that devastated the coasts of Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka Some 300,000 people were killed in a matter of hours.