Tuesday, January 4 2005 22:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Britons have donated 76 million Pounds for the victims of the tidal waves disaster in Asia and the amount may cross the 100 million Pound mark if the flow of donations from the public remains the same, aid agencies said today (Jan 4, 2005).

NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has also donated Rs 1 crore for relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the tsunami disaster and education of the children orphaned by the tragedy in India.

Since the launch of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) joint agency appeal last Tuesday, British public has donated 76 million Pounds, said Brendan Gormley, Chief Executive of DEC, an umbrella organisation of Britain's 12 leading aid agencies.

"We believe that we are looking at well over 100 million Pounds in total, if donations keep coming in as they are. Our responsibility and promise to the public will be to spend that money wisely and well. The agencies are already bringing clean water, medicines, food and clothes to the survivors, but we need to keep the spirit of generosity alive.

Heart rending stories of loss are still coming through. On every level people's lives have been devastated. DEC agencies are in there for the long haul, not only to save lives but also to rebuild livelihoods over the next couple of years, and we must keep the momentum up," Gormley said.

This is the largest public response in the history of the DEC, which was founded 41 years ago in 1963. The DEC, believes the tsunami appeal could well be the largest show of support for any public appeal in the UK.