Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NEWDELHI38
2005-01-03 13:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
INDIA TSUNAMI SITREP JANUARY 3
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000038
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
USDA/FAS/FAA/CALEXANDER/MCONLON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL CASC AEMR EAID MASS SOCI EAGR ID CE MV IN
SUBJECT: INDIA TSUNAMI SITREP JANUARY 3
REF: NEW DELHI 33
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000038
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
USDA/FAS/FAA/CALEXANDER/MCONLON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL CASC AEMR EAID MASS SOCI EAGR ID CE MV IN
SUBJECT: INDIA TSUNAMI SITREP JANUARY 3
REF: NEW DELHI 33
1. (SBU) Summary: India-wide, consular officers have amassed
a database of 500 missing persons inquiries to which they are
responding, but still have no reported Amcit casualties in
India. Mission engagement with the GOI on tsunami relief for
India and the region continued with the Ambassador's January
3 meeting with Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and USAID's
allocation of USD 3.1 million in relief. The Ambassador will
meet with local media on January 4 to highlight USG disaster
assistance efforts and our partnership in the Core Group.
The GOI has increased its aid to neighbors with two ships
scheduled to arrive in Aceh, even as its own casualty figures
climb. End Summary.
Consular Outreach
--------------
2. (U) There are still no reported Amcit casualties in
India, but consular officers are processing about 500
inquiries on people who are possibly missing. Consular New
Delhi has been coordinating the response India-wide,
referring calls to ConGen Chennai or ConGen Calcutta as
necessary. The Mission has created a database of Task Force
calls as well as emails to ensure that each inquiry receives
a response daily. Consular New Delhi has an officer each in
Thailand and Colombo supporting those missions' operations.
US Assistance for India
--------------
3. (U) Through January 3, USAID India has provided more than
USD 1.5 million in assistance to India. This includes:
--USD 50,000 for the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to be spent
at the GOI's discretion;
--USD 50,000 to the Indian Red Cross for non-food and
non-medical emergency relief;
--USD 650,000 to CARE India for clean water and sanitation
services; and
--USD 750,000 to Catholic Relief Services for clean water and
sanitation services.
An additional USD 1.6 million will soon be programmed
following the approval of proposals. As of January 2, 3 DART
members have been dispatched to India.
Ambassador Meets Foreign Secretary Saran
--------------
4. (SBU) In a January 3 meeting with the Ambassador, Foreign
Secretary Shyam Saran indicated that the PM had directed all
SIPDIS
VIPs to avoid the tsunami-affected regions, and suggested
that visiting US Codels receive an Indian
military/interagency briefing on Indian relief activities in
New Delhi, rather than travel into Southern India. Saran
noted that to support a VIP visit, the local bureaucracy has
to shift its focus from relief activities, and that even VIP
overflights would be disruptive to the Indian military's
intense operational activities. While local media reported
alleged Indian "anger" over Colombo's decision to accept US
troops without consulting New Delhi, Saran expressed
appreciation for the January 3 briefing on relief in the
region that DAO provided to Indian defense staff. (Reftel
provides fuller details.)
Indian Casualties
--------------
5. (SBU) The Ministry of Home Affairs reported that through
January 2, 9,451 Indians had died while 5,511 were missing,
compared to 8,955 and 3,754, respectively, 24 hours earlier.
USAID India believes these figures are low, for example,
ConGen Calcutta's economics specialist has estimated six to
seven thousand are missing in the hard hit Andaman and
Nicobar Islands alone.
Relief for the Neighbors
--------------
6. (U) On January 3, Ministry of Defense officials briefed
DAO on India's relief operations for Sri Lanka, Maldives and
Indonesia. The GOI expects the survey ship Nirupak, which
has been outfitted as a 46 bed hospital, and the stealth
frigate Khukri to arrive in Aceh early on January 4. The
Indian Navy now has three ships in the Maldives with the
addition of the INS Sagar, and four ships and some 1,200 men
in Sri Lanka.
Upcoming: Ambassador's Press Conference
--------------
7. (U) On the afternoon of January 4, the Ambassador will
meet with Indian foreign affairs correspondents to discuss
the tsunami, its aftermath, and what the USG is doing to
assist the affected nations.
MULFORD
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
USDA/FAS/FAA/CALEXANDER/MCONLON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL CASC AEMR EAID MASS SOCI EAGR ID CE MV IN
SUBJECT: INDIA TSUNAMI SITREP JANUARY 3
REF: NEW DELHI 33
1. (SBU) Summary: India-wide, consular officers have amassed
a database of 500 missing persons inquiries to which they are
responding, but still have no reported Amcit casualties in
India. Mission engagement with the GOI on tsunami relief for
India and the region continued with the Ambassador's January
3 meeting with Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and USAID's
allocation of USD 3.1 million in relief. The Ambassador will
meet with local media on January 4 to highlight USG disaster
assistance efforts and our partnership in the Core Group.
The GOI has increased its aid to neighbors with two ships
scheduled to arrive in Aceh, even as its own casualty figures
climb. End Summary.
Consular Outreach
--------------
2. (U) There are still no reported Amcit casualties in
India, but consular officers are processing about 500
inquiries on people who are possibly missing. Consular New
Delhi has been coordinating the response India-wide,
referring calls to ConGen Chennai or ConGen Calcutta as
necessary. The Mission has created a database of Task Force
calls as well as emails to ensure that each inquiry receives
a response daily. Consular New Delhi has an officer each in
Thailand and Colombo supporting those missions' operations.
US Assistance for India
--------------
3. (U) Through January 3, USAID India has provided more than
USD 1.5 million in assistance to India. This includes:
--USD 50,000 for the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to be spent
at the GOI's discretion;
--USD 50,000 to the Indian Red Cross for non-food and
non-medical emergency relief;
--USD 650,000 to CARE India for clean water and sanitation
services; and
--USD 750,000 to Catholic Relief Services for clean water and
sanitation services.
An additional USD 1.6 million will soon be programmed
following the approval of proposals. As of January 2, 3 DART
members have been dispatched to India.
Ambassador Meets Foreign Secretary Saran
--------------
4. (SBU) In a January 3 meeting with the Ambassador, Foreign
Secretary Shyam Saran indicated that the PM had directed all
SIPDIS
VIPs to avoid the tsunami-affected regions, and suggested
that visiting US Codels receive an Indian
military/interagency briefing on Indian relief activities in
New Delhi, rather than travel into Southern India. Saran
noted that to support a VIP visit, the local bureaucracy has
to shift its focus from relief activities, and that even VIP
overflights would be disruptive to the Indian military's
intense operational activities. While local media reported
alleged Indian "anger" over Colombo's decision to accept US
troops without consulting New Delhi, Saran expressed
appreciation for the January 3 briefing on relief in the
region that DAO provided to Indian defense staff. (Reftel
provides fuller details.)
Indian Casualties
--------------
5. (SBU) The Ministry of Home Affairs reported that through
January 2, 9,451 Indians had died while 5,511 were missing,
compared to 8,955 and 3,754, respectively, 24 hours earlier.
USAID India believes these figures are low, for example,
ConGen Calcutta's economics specialist has estimated six to
seven thousand are missing in the hard hit Andaman and
Nicobar Islands alone.
Relief for the Neighbors
--------------
6. (U) On January 3, Ministry of Defense officials briefed
DAO on India's relief operations for Sri Lanka, Maldives and
Indonesia. The GOI expects the survey ship Nirupak, which
has been outfitted as a 46 bed hospital, and the stealth
frigate Khukri to arrive in Aceh early on January 4. The
Indian Navy now has three ships in the Maldives with the
addition of the INS Sagar, and four ships and some 1,200 men
in Sri Lanka.
Upcoming: Ambassador's Press Conference
--------------
7. (U) On the afternoon of January 4, the Ambassador will
meet with Indian foreign affairs correspondents to discuss
the tsunami, its aftermath, and what the USG is doing to
assist the affected nations.
MULFORD