'Eight of my relatives have died'

By Stephen Dowling
BBC News

Some UK-based Sri Lankans are facing enormous losses

Some members of Britain's Sri Lankan community have sustained enormous personal losses in the Asian quake.

At least 13,000 people are thought to have died in Sri Lanka alone - 50,000 and rising from the region as a whole.

Mohamed Ansar, 36, from Wembley, told BBC News eight members of his family had been confirmed dead, with another 22 unaccounted for.

"They are cousins, most are from my wife's side. My brother's wife is dead," he said.

Mr Ansar was among Sri Lankan Muslims attending a gathering in north-west London on Monday night, to pray and raise aid.

My brother's wife is dead Mohammed Ansar Sri Lankan ex-pats offer help

The Sri Lankan Muslim Cultural Centre in Harrow, north-west London, hosted more than 200 people as the scale of the disaster affecting their country continued to grow.

Mr Ansar explained how his sister-in-law died.

"My brother was trying to save my mother from the floodwaters.

"He lifted her up with one arm, and held his wife's hand with another, and he started running.

"He had my mum in one arm and was trying to pull his wife along. She lost her grip, he managed to drop my mother at a safe spot and turned back to get his wife. But she wasn't there."

Village ravaged

Mr Ansar's relatives live in the east coast village of Maruthamunai, and he said many of their houses had been totally destroyed.

The village as a whole, he thought, had lost 680 people, 40% of its population.

Mr Ansar said he was trying to get back to Sri Lanka in the next few days with two other members of the community, to help in the aid effort.

He said they would particularly try to help smaller communities that had not yet been reached by the major aid groups.

"We will be dealing with the little organisations such as youth groups in the east of the country, and giving them money to get to stores to buy goods," he said.

Aid has not yet reached the communities on the east coast

He said they would aim to reach places "where only a motorbike can get to".

But he said: "The first important thing is to establish communication. There is no drainage or power or food supply in these areas. There are people who are still alive and are sheltering in schools and churches and temples."

He said that the important thing was to find where survivors were - then the "slower but more permanent aid" brought by groups such as Oxfam and Christian Aid could be brought to bear.

Organiser Mubarak Gaffour said the Sri Lanka Muslim Welfare Association had set up the Asia Quake Relief Appeal UK and was hoping to raise as much money as possible.

It would also welcome water, food and clothing which would be given to other agencies.

He said they would also offer resources to other communities - of whatever religion - in other countries affected.

The Asia Quake Relief Appeal UK can be contacted at [e-mail].