MFAT Tsunami Update 10 - Thursday 30 December

1 - NZ officials in Thailand now have 827 names entered on their database. Of these, around 500 are confirmed OK, one is confirmed deceased and 11 are in hospitals. There are unconfirmed reports of two other deceased New Zealanders. There are now 74 New Zealanders unaccounted for and known to have been in the affected areas. This number has increased since the last update as new information has come in. Around 240 others are unaccounted for and thought to have been in somewhere in Thailand, down from 280 the previous update.

2 - In addition to the 11 New Zealanders reported hospitalised in Thailand, we are aware of one New Zealander hospitalised in India (not two as reported earlier).

3 - Information to date indicates that there do not appear to be any New Zealand casualties in Indonesia, Malaysia or the Maldives. Information received at the Red Cross/MFAT call centres suggests the possibility that New Zealanders could be missing in India and/or Sri Lanka. Our High Commission in Delhi is making enquiries, working with other governments and the New Zealand Honorary Consul in Sri Lanka (New Zealand does not have a High Commission in Sri Lanka).

4 - In order to account for people registered on our databases, we continue to encourage New Zealanders to advise the Red Cross (0800 733 276) if they have heard from friends and relatives in the affected areas.

ENDS

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