After the strike of tsunamis unleashed by earthquake near the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the Macau Government Tourist Office Headquarter received today (Jan. 4) till 4 pm only 1 call from citizen providing relevant information.

As at 4 pm today, MGTO Headquarter has received a total of 70 calls --- 23 inquiries, 27 requests for assistance and 20 calls from citizens providing relevant information. At present, MGTO endeavors to assist in the search for missing Macau residents in the affected areas, provide transportation and accommodation arrangements for the affected residents etc.

The Disaster Victims Internacional Coordination Center in Thailand requests Scientific Laboratories from various countries and regions to provide DNA detection reports of immediate family members of the missing. And the detection should be carried out by the internationally agreed laboratories, so to cope with the searching task. Therefore, the Scientific Laboratory of the Judicial Police in Macau is responsible for the DNA detection.

In support of the searching task in the affected area, MGTO continues to send over DNA detection reports by the Scientific Laboratory of the Judicial Police in Macau, document and information provided by Identification Department and Health Bureau to Thailand to facilitate the search by the government staff and volunteers at hospitals in Bangkok and Phuket to locate the Macau residents who are missing.

The volunteer Macau doctor provides psychological counselling to Macau residents affected by the Tsunamis in Thailand and continues to assist in finding the missing at the hospitals in Phuket and Bangkok.

MGTO will continue to closely monitor the incident.