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A Government spokesman said as at 12 noon today (January 6), the Immigration Department's hotline (2829 3010) had received 877 enquiries and 1 368 requests for assistance.

There remained 59 cases in which the callers were able to provide the personal particulars of the residents concerned as well as some information about their last known locations. Amongst them, 34 were reported to be in Thailand, 10 in Indonesia, one in Malaysia and 14 in other places.

In addition, there remained 148 Hong Kong residents whose family members have not provided the personal particulars or specific information on the last known locations of these residents. The Immigration Department is liaising with the caller in each of these cases to gather the required information for immediate follow-up actions.

Fatalities involving Hong Kong residents remained at nine, with no new reports so far. Four people, including three men and one woman, have been discharged from hospitals in Thailand today, while a woman and a girl are still receiving treatment.

All six students reported to have lost contact with their schools yesterday have been confirmed safe following intensive follow-up by the Police.

On work in Thailand, the spokesman stressed that all essential services of the HKSARG multi-disciplinary support team would be maintained. The manpower deployment would continue to be adjusted over the next few days having regard to decreased demand. More than 90 members of the supporting team are still working in Thailand today.

The help desks at the International airports in Phuket and Bangkok are now operating at busy hours, while the support team maintains its presence in hospitals where Hong Kong residents are staying. Three telephone hotlines continue to operate round the clock to provide assistance to Hong Kong residents there.

Residents in Hong Kong, on the other hand, are urged to call the Immigration Department's hotline at 2829 3010, if necessary.

The Hong Kong Police continued to contact relatives of unlocated Hong Kong people for the collection of DNA samples. So far, samples from 22 family members of the victims have been taken.

At the request of the Indonesian Government, the HKSARG will air-freight tomorrow 50 tones of relief supplies, including water, tents and blankets, to help the needy in the country.

Ends/Thursday, January 6, 2005

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