Scotland's aid effort nudges £10m

The DEC said the Scottish public's response has been incredible

People in Scotland are on course to raise £10m for the tsunami aid effort in south east Asia.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) said £9m had been raised through internet and telephone pledges since its appeal was launched on 28 December.

Mhairi Owens, of the DEC, said it is the biggest public response it has received since being formed in 1963.

Meanwhile, Nationalists have identified how Scotland's fishing industry can help the victims of the disaster.

Forty tons of water donated by Scottish companies have been flown to the Maldives.

The public in Scotland instantly recognised that this catastrophe was going to require an extraordinary effort Mhairi Owens DEC Scotland

Ms Owens said the DEC had been overwhelmed by the public response to its aid appeal.

"We believe that a £10m contribution from the Scottish public is easily achievable if donations keep coming in as they are," she said.

"Immediate needs of clean water, food, medicines and clothes for survivors are being delivered by DEC agencies across the affected countries but we really need the continuing support of the public for this huge response.

"This has been like nothing we have seen before. The public in Scotland instantly recognised that this catastrophe was going to require an extraordinary effort."

Fishing help

However, the DEC has urged the public not to become complacent over the level of aid required.

It is asking the public to keep donating from every source, including online, via telephone, by text, or at high street banks or post offices.

The DEC appeal has raised £76m across the UK, and is expected to reach £100m.

Ken Taylor from Glasgow had a lucky escape

It comes as one survivor, Ken Taylor, from Glasgow, has told how he escaped the disaster because he was late getting to the beach in the Thai resort of Phuket.

Mr Taylor said: "If I had been on that beach, being a non-swimmer, and going to an area of the beach where there was no easy escape route, I could have been in serious trouble.

"So we thank our lucky stars that we were in the right place at the right time."

Meanwhile, the Scottish National Party used a media conference in Aberdeen to launch an appeal for the fishing industry to lend its support to the stricken Asian communities.

SNP fisheries spokesman Richard Lochhead said Scotland has the opportunity to make "a unique contribution to the international aid effort".

He said it could help replace lost and broken equipment as well as offering advice and training.

Drinking water has been donated by several Scottish companies

"Being a key fisheries nation, we should be able to offer advice, assistance and perhaps equipment to those scores of fishing communities that have been shattered on the coast of the Indian Ocean," he said.

"Having spoken to representatives from all sectors of the fishing industry, I know they are keen to get together with the government and aid agencies to see what can be done.

"It may even be possible to secure fishing boats that could be donated.

"Scotland is ideally placed to assist with the long-term reconstruction of fishing communities in Asia wrecked by the tsunami."

The Scottish Executive said it would welcome the nation's fishing and other communities helping those affected by the disaster.

A spokeswoman said: "The executive plans to meet with NGOs in Scotland shortly to discuss the long-term support that could be provided by organisations and communities, including the fishing community, across Scotland."

Donations can be made to the DEC through its website or by phoning 0870 606 0900.