Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Hong Kong

The tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake killed at least 38 Hong Kong residents in the affected region. As of December 2005, 2 persons (one infant and one child) are still unlocated.

Overview

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake of moment magnitude 9.5 that struck the Indian Ocean off the western coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia on December 26, 2004 at 00:58:50 UTC (07:58:50 local time in Jakarta and Bangkok).

Hongkongers in the affected region

* Reported dead: 38 (updated 21 December 2005)
* People missing: 2 (updated 21 December 2005)

Responses of the government and other organisations

The Hong Kong Government has sent a support team comprise of immigration officers, medical doctors and nurses to Phuket in Thailand to provide assistance to Hongkongers who may have medical needs, lost their identification documents, air tickets and money. Immigration officers were also sent to Bangkok in Thailand, Columbo in Sri Lanka. Addresses, phone numbers and other contact methods of these personnel were announced. Doctors from Hong Kong also help conduct DNA verifications in Thailand.

The government requested schools and employers in early January to report if any members of the schools or companies were missing after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Personnel of airline companies at airports also help by reporting to the government of Hongkongers who has reached the airports. Wing On Travel, a Hong Kong-based travel agency, has sent 21 tour guides to provide assistance and translation services.

Voluntary organisations, including Hong Kong Red Cross, World Vision Hong Kong, Oxfam Hong Kong, The Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau Command, Médecins Sans Frontières have also sent teams to the affected regions. The Hong Kong Government provided cash grants through the Disaster Relief Fund to these organisations, as well as the governments and organisations of the affected regions.

History and background

Thailand has been a tourist destination for Hongkongers of great popularity for many years. The Maldives is increasingly popular. Hong Kong also has a large population of domestic helpers from Thailand and Indonesia. Some Hongkongers visit Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries during the Christmas and New Year break, to stay away from the cool winters in Hong Kong. The catastrophe had a large psychological impact.

Impact

This disaster exerted significant psychological impact everywhere in the world. The tourist trade in southern Asia will most likely receive a very hard setback. From the Hong Kong perspective, fewer tourists are visiting the affecting regions in the several months following the disaster. Some airline companies reduced some of their services between Hong Kong and destinations in Thailand, and one of the companies had suspended their service to Phuket. The disaster has also hit the business of travelling agencies. One travelling agency which relied on selling tickets and packages to Thailand was bankrupt.

Welfare organisations, especially those of Thai and Indonesian domestic helpers in Hong Kong, has requested employers to pay attention to domestic helpers and offer assistance, such as leaves, if necessary.

Since the affected regions, especially Thailand, Indonesia and the Maldives are destinations frequently visited by Hongkongers, and Thai and Indonesian culture is highly visible in Hong Kong, Hongkongers have shown great concern towards the disaster. Donation calls were very well responded by the public. Members of the entertainment industry have organised trips to visit the affected regions, and have made television programmes to raise money for the victims.

Relief aid

According to the January 5, 2005 issue of the SCMP, per person public donations in Hong Kong is the highest among all countries and territories, although donations from government is relatively low with respect to its population and scale of economy.

¹ The global target of Red Cross is HKD 460 m (USD 59 m).
² MSF Hong Kong has meet its target in Hong Kong, and requested donors to donate to its other programmes. [http://www.msf.org.hk/news/press_detail.php?id=198]

External links

* [http://www.mingpaonews.com Ming Pao Daily] (free subscription required)
* [http://hk.news.yahoo.com/ Yahoo! Hong Kong News]
* [http://www.scmp.com South China Morning Post] (a Hong Kong English-language news paper) (subscription required)
* [http://www3.news.gov.hk/ISD/ebulletin/en/category/lawandorder/050415/html/050415en08001.htm Press release of the government]
* [http://www.info.gov.hk/info/tsunamis/eng/ Hong Kong Government - Tsunami Help Info]
* [http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Disaster+Relief+Fund%22+tsunami+2005+site%3Agov.hk Press releases and other online documents of the Hong Kong Government on the Disaster Relief Fund]