The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) office in India is providing food for 7,250 coastal inhabitants of Tamil Nadu for ten days, following the December 26 tsunami that struck their coastline. Food items include, rice, cooking oil, suji (cream of wheat), and drinking water.

ADRA India, in cooperation with the Southeast India Union of Seventh-day Adventists, will identify critical areas affected by the tidal wave and provide meals to displaced and homeless inhabitants. Special consideration will be given to families with young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those have lost family members in the disaster.

The project is funded by ADRA International, the Southeast Union of Seventh-day Adventists, and the Southern Asia Division of Seventh-day Adventists.

ADRA has set up a crisis command centre in Bangkok, Thailand to coordinate its network-wide response and continuing assessment in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India.

Earlier this week, ADRA International committed US$500,000 of private funds as part of the agency’s initial response.

In Phuket Province, Thailand, ADRA distributed personal care packages benefiting nearly 3,000 people. In India, ADRA is also providing shelter, blankets, drinking water, water containers, chlorine tablets, and mosquito nets. Non-food emergency aid items are being distributed in Indonesia and the Andaman Islands.

Emergency monetary donations can be made to the Asia Tsunami Crisis Fund online at www.adra.org .

With headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland (USA), and a presence in more than 120 countries, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA), is the worldwide humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Established for the specific purposes of individual and community development and disaster relief, ADRA International fulfils this primary directive of its charter without regard to race, gender, political or religious affiliation.