Epidemics could kill as many

2004-12-28 23:03

Geneva - The World Health Organisation warned on Tuesday that disease in the aftermath of southern Asia's tsunami disaster could kill as many people as the deadly waves and earthquake have.

Government in 11 nations are still trying to determine how many were killed in the devastation wreaked by Sunday's quake and the tsunamis it caused. The death toll now stands at about 55 000 and is expected to rise.

But with relief officials warning of possible cholera epidemics and malaria, Dr David Nabarro, head of crisis operations for WHO, told reporters in Geneva that "there is certainly a chance that we could have as many dying from communicable diseases as from the tsunami".

Nabarro said the main threat to life now is communicable diseases associated with a lack of clean water and sanitation.

"The initial terror associated with the tsunamis and the earthquake itself may be dwarfed by the longer term suffering of the affected communities," Nabarro warned.

Hospitals and health services already are overwhelmed and may not be able to cope with people who fall ill with disease, Nabarro said.

"So our focus, with the governments and with civil society organisations throughout the region, will be on saving lives, preventing disease and promoting recovery of the essential infrastructure for public health and well-being," he said. "The assessments are under way."

Relief organisations are distributing supplies over 11 countries in Asia and Africa, and the United Nations has said it will likely make its largest ever appeal for humanitarian funding in response to the disaster.

The hardest-hit countries are Indonesia, whose Aceh region was closest to the epicentre of Sunday's earthquake; then Sri Lanka and Thailand.

"Some areas are still hard to get to, but we're now moving into Aceh and finding early signs of a really terrible humanitarian tragedy in that part of Indonesia, and we're much more aware now of the needs in Sri Lanka, and Maldives and in the other countries," Nabarro said.

Essential supplies are already arriving in the region, but "need to be properly coordinated so that those who most need help get it in these vital early hours and days after the disaster", he added.

"All UN agencies now are actively involved in assessments, because we think it's important that the world's public is made aware of the way this tragedy is unfolding and can appreciate where the needs are going to be greatest, and when they are going to peak," Nabarro said.

"What a terrible tragedy," he said.

- AP