By : Ashutosh Mohanty, Ph.D.
Co-Principal Investigator & Researcher 
Super Cyclone –99 Project 
Under :N.C.A.R, E.S.I.G., U.S.A

Need Assessment
Livelihood Restoration in the affected areas:
Restoration of livelihood of the tsunami victims is on the front side of rescue operations continuing in the affected areas. Shelter, water, food, and medical relief continue to be priorities of the people in the tsunami devasted areas, which need to be addressed on warlike basis. Oxfam, Unicef, CARE, Action Against Hunger, AmeriCares, World Vision, Save the Children, and many others bringing in (or purchasing locally) supplies for hundreds of thousands of tsunami victims for the coming weeks and months. But there are other problems to be addressed, too:
Establishing distribution systems. One of the most vexing problems facing the relief effort has been the difficulty of getting the relief where it is needed most, especially in Banda Aceh. The International Organization on Migration and the Red Cross, along with many partners, have worked to set up distribution systems in the affected areas, requisitioning warehouses and trucks tomanage the large quantities of aid materials flowing into the region. Military helicopters from the United States and elsewhere have been essential in distributing aid to places inaccessible by road.


Caring for children. Organizations like Unicef and Save the Children have begun to shift from focusing solely on food, hygiene, and shelter to their particular child-focused missions. Unicef has begun to construct temporary school facilities and distribute "school-ina- box" kits, pledging to have many schools operational as soon as January 20. The Red Cross and various partners are working to vaccinate the displaced children against measles, and Save the Children has taken steps to register child victims to help prevent their exploitation.


Post-trauma counseling. Children and adults alike may need psychological help to deal with the trauma of the disaster; in India, social workers, psychologists, and others have volunteered as counselors in the affected areas, but this is only a beginning. The Red Cross is sending more counseling professionals to the affected areas.
Locating and identifying the dead. This may be one of the largest forensic challenges of all time, with more than 20 forensic teams in Thailand alone gathering DNA samples for analysis on site or in China. Their efforts have been complicated by the need to bury corpses quickly to prevent the spread of disease.


Restoring livelihoods. The tsunami destroyed the boats of many coastal fishermen, making it impossible for them to earn a living. Already, one U.S. group has begun raising money to pay local shipwrights to replace the lost vessels, thus stimulating the local economy while allowing the fishermen to become self sufficient once again.
Cleanup and reconstruction. NGOs on the ground in the affected areas estimate that cleanup alone could take a year or more, and obviously rebuilding infrastructure and the local economy will take even longer. While assessments are already being made, this phase of the relief is not yet at the fore.

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