INDIA: Kerala ham radio comforts tsunami-hit kin

Amateur station is able to trace more than half of people reported missing in Andaman, Colombo

The Times of India
Monday, January 3, 2005

THRISSUR (Kerala): The Space Rays Amateur Radio Club of Kerala provided information and comfort to anxious relatives of those trapped in Andaman and Nicobar islands and Sri Lanka after the tsunami disaster.

"When tsunami struck, we began to provide solace to panic-stricken relatives asking us to locate their near and dear ones. We got calls from several parts of Kerala," said Sree Murugan, a member of the Thrissur-based radio club.

"We could trace almost 60 per cent of the missing reported to us since we opened our service to the public on December 26. We mostly searched for people trapped in Andaman island and in Colombo," said M G Biju, also with the radio club.

Appreciative of the services, state run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) here provided the radio club with two free telephone lines and district authorities gave administrative help.

Date Posted: 1/3/2005