Some 38,000 people are dead in Sri Lanka alone, 3,800 are missing, and more than one million are homeless.

But Wanigatunga said the biggest danger may still be coming from diseases caused by a lack of sanitation and clean water. To help the situation, he and the Sunnyvale Sunrise Rotary Club are organizing a donation of water purification equipment and tablets for Sri Lanka. "The fact is that unless water is available, people will drink the polluted water, with contamination that comes from all the waste and bodies," Wanigatunga said. "This is our attempt to stop diseases from spreading right from the start because if cholera and dysentery start spreading, the devastation could be worse then from the tsunami."

The donations from local Rotaries will be distributed by the Rotary of Colombo West, the Sri Lanka club Wanigatunga was President of before moving to the United States 33 years ago.

Wanigatunga first tried to get portable water purification equipment to the island nation, but the company--Aqua Sun International from Nevada--did not have the supply because so many other organizations had requested the same equipment for the same disaster. The water purifiers are $1,600 each, and weight about 65 pounds. They also require water pumps that Wanigatunga said could be purchased in Sri Lanka.

Wanigatunga said Rotary has worked with the company before to send purifiers to other parts of the world when clean water is needed.

But until purifiers are available, Wanigatunga is trying to raise funds and get organizations together to send water purification tablets that can be dropped into contaminated water to make it potable.

Wanigatunga said he and the Sunrise Rotary hope to enlist other Rotary clubs in their district--that stretches from Menlo Park to Monterey--to gather donations. Rotary clubs often help relief efforts like this, by partnering with clubs in the affected areas.

By having the Colombo West Rotary oversee distribution of tablets and equipment, Wanigatunga said they can make sure the items get to where they need to be, and are not stolen or redirected by outside groups.

Wanigatunga is not alone in his effort to help his former home.

Suzi Blackman, President/CEO of the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce said the Chamber is trying to organize those who want to help into a cohesive relief effort, to help the Rotary or other local groups send help.

"It's a big deal, and I think we should all work together in this instead of everyone doing their own thing," Blackman said.

Since the tsunami hit, Wanigatunga has been visiting Rotary clubs throughout the district to enlist their help in the relief efforts, to get as many of the tablets sent over for now. Later he hopes to purchase water purifiers that can be set up in schools, churches and other controlled buildings to provide potable water to the residents of Sri Lanka.

He said he may even visit his island nation to help relief efforts later, but he has too much to organize right now.

"At this moment, I feel I am more useful here," Wanigatunga said. "Until the last shipments are sent and the program is running, it would be unwise for me to leave."

Donations to the Rotary Club can be sent with a memo marked "Sri Lanka Tsunami Relief," to Treasurer Jim White, 101 First Street, Suite 644, Los Altos, CA 94022.