United Nations Radio

The United Nations system has moved into high gear to identify the immediate needs of countries devastated by Sunday's tsunamis across South Asia.

UN disaster assessment teams are on the ground in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives and Thailand carrying out needs assessment while local UN offices have started distributing emergency material. Head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, Yvette Stevens, says UN teams have been given responsibility for coordinating international assistance in both Sri Lanka and Indonesia. At the same time, she says the UN is moving toward launching an appeal on three levels.

"We are looking at coming up with some preliminary appeal which would come out  within the next two to three days. Then later, once the assessment teams are in place, there would be a consolidated appeal once we have had access to all the areas  affected."