Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Relations (MRE) released a note making telephone lines available to people who desire information on the fate of Brazilians in the region battered by tidal waves in South Asia. The huge waves were caused by an earthquake that registered 8.9 on the Richter scale and caused more than 22,000 deaths.
The catastrophe affected eight countries – Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldive Islands, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.
Reports that a diplomat from Rio de Janeiro, Lys Amayo de Benedek D’ívola and her son were among the fatal victims of the tsunami (tidal wave) in Thailand were not confirmed by the Foreign Relations Ministry.
Ambassador Marco Antônio Diniz arrived in Puket, Thailand, today, to confirm the number of victims.
The telephone numbers available for consultation are (55-61) 411-6999 and (55-61) 9976-8205, at the Division of Consular Assistance (DAC).
Flávia Ribeiro, counselor at the Brazilian Embassy in New Delhi, capital of India, informed that embassy staff members had gotten in touch with some Brazilian families who live in Goa, in southern India, and the families said that they are well and unaware of any Brazilian who suffered any kind of injury due to the gigantic waves.
“Up to this point we have no knowledge of any Brazilian who was a victim of the tidal waves,” she affirmed.
Translation: David Silberstein
Agência Brasil