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What's Needed
The tsunami victims are in immediate need of medical attention, food, clean water and shelter. To best get these necessities to them, according to international aid agencies, the most effective thing people can donate is money.
The World Health Organization said it needs $40 million to provide basic items to an estimated 5 million people. Additionally, the U.N. World Food Program said it needs $100 million for its own relief efforts. And down the line, billions of dollars will be needed to repair the damage, said U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland. The world's biggest reinsurer, Germany's Munich Re, estimated the damage to buildings and foundations in the affected regions would be at least $13.6 billion.
Experts said clean water - along with water-purifying tablets and equipment - are urgent priorities. Vaccinations against cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A and dysentery were also under way in some places.
Several health specialists also appealed for more attention to mental health counseling, which tends to be overlooked in undeveloped areas.
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