The tsunami around the Indian Ocean at Christmas 2004 was a catastrophe of the century. The aid organisation I.S.A.R.-Germany passed its first major test here. With reconstruction aid for the fishing village of Bangsak on the west coast of Thailand, International Search And Rescue Germany immediately launched its first project aimed at achieving a lasting impact. Heinz-Dieter Konrad, the new patron of I.S.A.R Germany since this year, has now visited this place.
Konrad, as one of the managing directors of the retail company BAUHAUS responsible for its specialised shops in North Rhine-Westphalia, visited Bangsak to see for himself that the devastating consequences of the seaquake have now been overcome there thanks to the help from Germany. He spoke to the inhabitants of Yo Pinyo and Tak Pannadee about their experiences of working with I.S.A.R Germany at the time and the sensible use of financial and planning support for reconstruction.
The coastal town of Bangsak, just one and a half metres above sea level, is part of the Khao Lak holiday region, which was hit particularly hard by the huge tidal wave in 2004. Many of the 534 German tourists who were among the 230,000 victims of the disaster died here. It was in this region, around 70 kilometres north of the well-known holiday island of Phuket, that the aid organisation ISAR carried out its first aid mission, rushing there the day after the tsunami with rescue dog handlers, rescue specialists, paramedics and emergency doctors.
The almost completely destroyed village of Bangsak was also the place where the NGO applied its sustainability endeavours and promoted reconstruction with financial and planning support from January 2005. „We want to provide long-term support to victims of natural and humanitarian disasters. That's why our help doesn't stop after the victims have been rescued and given initial care,“ explains I.S.A.R. Germany President Dr Daniela Lesmeister. After a relief operation, the exact needs are determined in order to tackle targeted long-term aid projects. Our new patron Konrad has now been able to see the effectiveness of this strategy for himself.