Irish Red Cross appeals for donors as Asia dealth toll rises

The offices of the Irish Red Cross at 16 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, will re-open from today. Donations can also be made by calling the office mainline; 01 – 676 5135 or 01 – 676 5136 and anyone who wishes to donate online can log onto www.redcross.ie .

The Irish Red Cross has already sent Euro 100,000 to support the work of the umbrella organisation for all Red Cross and Red Crescent societies – the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Working with national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in each of the ten countries affected, most notably Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India, the IFRC has already released vital aid stocks.

These include emergency medical kits to meet the needs of 100,000 people in Sri Lanka, where cholera is a major threat. 15,000 family kits (containing a basic tent, kitchen utensils, food and soap) have also been supplied to people in the worst-hit parts of Sri Lanka while 5,000 of such kits have been supplied to India.

Exact total numbers of fatalities are impossible to obtain at this stage, with estimates growing daily. Sri Lankan officials suggest that final figures may show that up to 20,000 people may have died and a million people left homeless, while Indonesian officials also estimate that 25,000 people may have been killed, according to media reports.

Internationally, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies have swung behind their local partners, with offers of aid from the Australian, British, Canadian, and Scandinavian Red Cross societies.

Ends.