Tsunami relief speedy but chaotic

[The Straight Story]

Tsunami relief speedy but chaotic

United Press International

Thursday, May 5, 2005

PHUKET, Thailand, May 05, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- The world responded quickly to the needs of Asian tsunami victims but a lack of coordination added to the chaos, a World Health Organization official said.

Top WHO executive David Nabarro gave the mixed review of relief efforts during a meeting of health officials in Phuket, Thailand -- one of a dozen Indian Ocean countries ravaged by the December tsunamis that killed some 200,000 people.

Feared outbreaks of water-borne diseases failed to materialize as public and private relief agencies quickly brought in water, set up sanitation and immunized children, United Nations health experts said.

However, experts said coordination among various agencies added to the chaos, Voice of America reported.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_24485.html