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www.abc.net.au/news
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Five million in need of food, water
Up to 5 million people around the Indian Ocean are waiting for food and
clean water as nations hit by one of the biggest tsunamis on record
rush to bury their dead and avert the threat of disease.
The death toll from Sunday's tsunami is close to 80,000.
The Red Cross has warned it could top 100,000 killed, as more bodies
are found from India to Indonesia.
Countries around the world have mobilised to send rescue teams, food
and millions of dollars in aid to help survivors in the hardest-hit
nations of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand.
But anger began to be heard above the grief as families left with no
homes or possessions wanted to know why help was taking so long to
reach them.
"There is no food here whatsoever," said Vaitai Usman, a woman in her
mid-30s, as relief teams began arriving in Banda Aceh in Indonesia.
"We need rice. We need petrol. We need medicine. I haven't eaten in two
days."
'Frustration will be growing'
United Nations emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland says aid
workers have reached most of the stricken areas.
"It will take maybe 48 to 72 hours more to be able to respond to the
tens of thousands of people who would like to have assistance today -
or yesterday, rather," Mr Egeland said.
"I believe the frustration will be growing in the days and the weeks
ahead."
Mr Egeland has emphasised the need for recipient and donor countries
and international organisations to coordinate their relief efforts.
"Coordination is now vital," he said. "It is one of the biggest relief
operations ever."
David Nabarro, who heads the World Health Organisation's health crisis
team, says as many as 5 million people are "not able to access what
they need for living".
"Either they cannot get water, or their sanitation is inadequate or
they cannot get food," he said.
Mr Egeland says between 50 and 60 nations have given or pledged more
than $280 million in cash.
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India face death tolls of
catastrophic proportions. Hundreds of people were also killed in the
Maldives, Myanmar and Malaysia and more than 130 died in eastern
Africa.
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