There is a very interesting site at www.arugambay.com. It was once a site promoting the area (called the official site of the abay association -a sort of a take off on the ebay name) that had the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka. Now, there is someone blogging on the site. If you want to see how the international effort is shaping up on  the east coast, check it out. Here is an excerpt:

07. 30 am : Good news !! French soldiers landed with several helicopters at Arugam Bay. They already build a medical center, teaching local army what to do and so on. Most people in the missing list without description are alive !!! I try to send all names from missing people for exact informations. Please be passioned. Several generators for electricity and all needed is working already. Food, drinking water and medical suplies is no problem at all anymore.

Please be sorry for my broken english. No experience in the last few years in writing. !!! More informations soon !!!\

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Sean McKay (on Dec 31st) wanted to contact someone on route to Sri Lanka. Contact him at this email address.

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Disregard Esther B’s request below:
She has contacted someone in Colombo

Can someone help these relief worker?
Esther Burley (on Jan 1st) wrote today about her uncle visiting Arugam Bay for relief work:

My uncle Richard will be travelling to Colombo then on to Arugam within the next few days (from England). Richard has lived and worked in the Eastern Provinces for the past 15 years mainly in the Pottuvil/ Arugam Bay area. He has considerable experience in dealing in situations like these (for theUN in Timor in 2000) and has great local knowlege. He already has water purification tablets, face masks, rubber gloves and is desperate to find out what else is needed and if anything can be obtained from Aid Agencies in or near Colombo. He would also like to know what is the best way to get Arugam from Colombo.

Contact her at eburley@btinternet.com