Expatica news

Dutch tsunami appeal:EUR 63m and still counting

6 January 2005

AMSTERDAM — The Dutch public have contributed EUR 63 million so far to the relief effort following the tsunami in the Indian Ocean. It is expected the final figure will be a lot higher after special appeals broadcast on Dutch radio and television on Thursday.

A fund-raising effort by 11 radio stations on Thursday collected at least EUR 3 million, hours before the joint appeal hosted by television stations NED 2, RTL 4 and SBS 6.

Two thousand volunteers, including many Dutch celebrities, were drafted in to accept donations phoned in on the special number  0800-1112 during the televison broadcast. In the event the phone lines are jammed, members of the public can donate money by using special giro cards that were delivered to six million homes on Thursday.

Prior to the tsunami disaster, the most successful fund-raising appeal in the Netherlands was for the victims of violence in Kosovo in 1999. Almost EUR 52 million was raised on that occasion.

Seven Dutch people are known to have died in the tsunami on 26 December and a further 30 are missing, presumed dead. Officials are still trying to trace about 100 people suspected of being in the region when the tsunami struck.

It is estimated the total death toll is arouund 150,000.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Dutch news, Indian Ocean disaster