United Nations Radio

The biggest humanitarian relief operation ever mounted was underway Tuesday to help the victims of tidal waves in South Asia.

United Nations agencies and member States have begun delivering food, supplies and rescue crews to areas hit by tidal waves that smashed into 11 nations across the Indian Ocean.
UN disaster relief chief Jan Egeland says the number of confirmed dead stands at more than 40-thousand and rising with several areas not yet accessible along the Sumatra coastline and on islands in the Maldives:

"The international assistance has been immediate and generous. There are dozens of planes airbound as we speak. The most important things for us to assist as international community are those that the countries themselves have been asking for and it varies from country to country."

Mr. Egeland reiterated that this is perhaps one of the most devastating natural disasters ever.