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Inquiries About Those Affected by Earthquake and Tsunamis in the Bay of Bengal
Thursday, December 30, 2004 — The American Red Cross offers the following for those seeking information on loved ones:
- Continue to try and contact your loved ones through normal means of communication. Phone and cellular service has been possible – though sporadic – in some parts of the area.
- If you have relatives living outside the affected area, keep in contact with them as they may have received news about your loved ones.
- Continue to check the American Red Cross website for updates.
- Register on Family Links The growing concern for missing loved ones has prompted the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to establish a section for the Bay of Bengal disaster on their Family Links Website. This site offers family members an opportunity to search for missing relatives’ names. If inquirers cannot locate their family member on the Website they can post their own name or the name of the missing family member. The Website is: www.familylinks.icrc.org. The information is not verified or tracked by either the ICRC or the American Red Cross but is offered by the ICRC as a stand-alone internet tool for inquirers to use on their own.
U.S. Citizens in affected areas: Information about U.S. citizens in affected areas may be obtained from the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747(local Washington DC area 202-647-4000 and ask for the Consular Affairs Task Force) overseas callers at 317-472-2328. Note that these phone lines are frequently busy during the first days of a large disaster.
Non- U.S. Citizens in affected areas
India: the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has set up control rooms with hotline phone numbers in New Delhi to respond to calls regarding the disaster. This information is posted on the Ministry of External Affairs website at: http://meaindia.nic.in/.
Control Room (24-hr),
Ministry of External Affairs,
New Delhi
Tel.No. 011-91-11-2301-1954, 011-91-2301-2292, 011-91-11-2301-7160
Fax.No. 011-91-11-2301-3945, 011-91-2301-0889
E-mail: asad@mea.gov.in pasad@mea.gov.in
Thailand: Family members living in the US are encouraged to visit the Royal Thai Embassy website: http://www.thaiembdc.org.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Ministry of Interior has set up a Coordinating Center for people in Thailand affected by the Tsunamis. The Center will operate 24 hours a day. There are several phone numbers provided for the Coordinating Centers in Bangkok: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Coordinating Centre
Malaysia: Families should contact the government of Malaysia’s 24 hour crisis hotline at the Royal Malaysian Police Headquarters. Tel: 011-60-3-2262-6555 or fax 011-60-3-2691-0707. Families can also send an email to rmp@rmp.gov.my
Sri Lanka: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a 24 Hour Assistance Unit to assist with queries from the Sri Lankan expatriate community and foreign nationals regarding the whereabouts of friends/relatives in Sri Lanka or those presently visiting the country. Two short Emergency Information Forms have been designed to be completed by those seeking information regarding their friends/relatives. One form is for Sri Lankan Nationals and the other for Foreign Nationals. Find the relevant form and other helpful information on the Sri Lanka Embassy website http://www.slembassyusa.org/
Indonesia: Office of the Coordinating Ministry of Social Welfare. Tel/Fax: 011-62-21-345-3676 or 011-62-21-345-9102. Contact persons: Mr. Dody Budiatman (cell phone: 011-62-818-830-076) and Ms. Sitti Rahayu Hidayati (Cell phone: 011-62-812-826-7594)
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