About 100 Sri Lankans, Indians and Malaysians working in Bermuda were in Asia at the time of the devastating quake and Tsunami, a travel agent said yesterday.

Carl Paiva, founder of C Travel, said yesterday that many foreign workers returned home every December when tourism on the Island quietened down.

?That?s when hotels in Thailand and the rest of Asia get busy and they go home to work,? he said.

He said they usually flew home a week or so before Christmas and return to Bermuda in March.

Unfortunately, due to the public holiday and offices being closed, he couldn?t confirm exactly how many had returned to Asia, but said it was at least a hundred or so.

?They do this every year so we know they?re out there,? he said.

Meyer-Franklin Travel couldn?t confirm whether or not any Bermudians were currently on holiday in the areas devastated by the disaster.

A spokesman for the company, Henry Hayward said yesterday no calls from concerned family or friends had been received, but he couldn?t confirm until later this week if any Bermudians were there on holiday at this time.

So far more than 44,000 have died in the tsunamis which swept across the Indian Ocean from Thailand to Somalia on Christmas Day.

This number continues to grow and it?s reported that more than 18,000 have died in Sri Lanka and close to a million have been left homeless.

In an effort to help the homeless a special fund has been established in Bermuda.

The ?Bermuda helping Sri Lanka? fund was set up over the weekend by two concerned Sri Lankans living in Bermuda with the aim of helping the homeless in their native country.

For more information, Mohamed Rafique can be contacted at 236-2915. The Bermuda Red Cross is also appealing for donations to buy much needed tents, food and medicine for those effected throughout Asia.

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