4500+ lost lives – A diary from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu

sudheer

i was shivering with goose bumps reading your story - the tsunami was such an overwhelming event. and it happened in my neck of the woods so to speak and so, was perhaps more distressing for its closeness.

please let us know what's happening now, the follow up stories become less and less as time goes by. it seems we are all captivated by the destruction and terror, but not so interested in the rebuilding. or perhaps it's just not interesting for the press to cover.

one thing i would like to know is how long do you think it will take for the rebuilding to finish? or if it will ever be finished?

god bless you for your good works.

Sudheer, Good luck on your trip to Nagai. and Best wishes to the survivors.

Finished reading your post... I'm lost for words....

I've had a share of experiences from my friends and relatives when they were in Sri Lanka at the time. Really scary!!! and sad...

You are very inspiring!

I do wonder too how the survivors will pick up to "move on", especially the kids.
I wonder if they have any therapy (e.g. art therapy) or another way of expressing themselves if they're speechless?

When 9/11 happened, many kids were asked to draw pictures to help them and to enable adults help them "heal" in the process.

Looking forward to your posting when you return.

Sudheer,
Just great that you did that. I was in the great flood of Hurrican Katrina, in New Orleans, August 28, 2005 when no water or rain and then water up to my neck in my home that is up off the ground in less than 20 minutes. A major happening in the USA. The most disaster in the history of the USA. Flooding an area the size of the country of England. With 10 to 20 feet of water. Thanks for the heart rendering experience.
Gypsie

I know this is a really old thread which Im resuscitating. Just came across it now and am overwhelmed with the first hand account of how aid does not reach those for whom it is intended. What an eye opener.

The story is still going on.

In the last year there has been talk of prosecution of people who pocketed aid money. I don't know what happened: so often these stories just disappear from the press, and we don't know what, if anything, has happened.

i read this for the first time in around 5 years since i have been on IM
great work sudheer - something that we just dream of doing but still do nothing

Just came across this thread by coincidence. I was in India when the Tsunami happened and later worked on the reconstruction of a village near Colachel (Tamil Nadu), north of Kanyakumari.

Yes, a lot of things went wrong, but a lot of things went right, too. The villagers got help during their time in a camp and finally their "new" village was built, thanks to their own effort, help of donations and many dedicated people.

The whole system of helping can get improved, and a lot was learnt during that time.

There is corruption, like it is everywhere in India. I feel anger when I think of little kids who donated their pocket money for tsunami victims, hoping to help other children but feeding greedy people's pockets instead.

All in all I'd say there's a long way to go to really professional help in such situations, but we're on the right path.

That must have been quite an experience Federica, and its very noble of you to have helped out.

It was an experience, yes. Especially as I was thrown into this after 5 peaceful months in India. I'm often thinking what has happened to the families of the village. If I will be in this area, I'll certainly visit them.

P.S.: It was nothing noble, I was just part of the crowd

Re-reading this thread today brings back the agony of 2004.

To Sudheer,