Asia tsunami had minor impact on economic growth: IMF

Asia tsunami had minor impact on economic growth: IMF: "Asia tsunami had minor impact on economic growth: IMF

BLOOMBERG NEWS
Posted online: Thursday, April 14, 2005 at 0204 hours IST
Updated: Thursday, April 14, 2005 at 0924 hours IST
JAKARTA, APRIL 14: The tsunami that left nearly 300,000 people dead or missing in Asia in December is unlikely to have a major impact on economic growth in the region in spite of its ``devastating'' human toll, the International Monetary Fund said.

The IMF lowered its forecast for 2005 growth in Sri Lanka to 5.3 percent from a previous 6 percent, while the Maldives will grow 1 percent compared with a pre-tsunami 6.5 percent forecast.
Thailand will have its growth shaved 0.3 percentage point to 5.6 percent, the IMF said. Growth in Indonesia, where more than 220,000 people died or went missing in the disaster, will be between 5.25 percent and 5.5 percent, from 5.5 percent, it said. "