ACEH, Jan. 3--Antara-AsiaNet/InfoQuest
Approximately 340 volunteers from several Branches such as Aceh Besar, East Aceh, South East Aceh, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, Lampung, Pidie, Bireun,
Bengkulu, Central Java, South Sulawesi, Bandung and DKI Jakarta has been
deployed to PMI Operation Centers in Banda Aceh and Lhokseumawe to carry out
evacuations, burial and relief distribution. Meanwhile, an emergency field
hospital will be set up in Meulaboh. Six medical personnel have been deployed
in the first stage (30/12), followed by 32 members of Special Emergency
Response Team, flying in to Meulaboh this morning (2/1).
Within this week, PMI National Office has received a large number of
donations from personal, community groups, corporate, and international
communities through the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement,
Embassies, as well as expatriate communities.
PMI has also received a donation of relief items worth 153.000 Canadian
Dollars from the Government of Canada through the Canadian Red Cross,
consisting of warehouse structure, water purifier, generators etc. The 29 ton
weighing relief was personally received by PMI Chairman, Mar’ie Muhammad at
Soekarno-Hatta Airport in a handover ceremony this afternoon (2/1).
The International Federation has allocated CHF 69 million for the victims, particularly for Water and Sanitation programs, logistics, and community
health. “These relief items are extremely important to provide clean water. One
of our priorities is to ensure access to clean water to prevent water bourne
diseases,” Jean-Pierre Taschereau explains. The International Federation
assessment team, FACT (Field Assessment and Coordination Team), in Medan is
currently preparing the establishment of ERU (emergency response unit) field
hospital.
On Friday (31/12), donations received by the Indonesian Red Cross reached a number of Rp. 5,093,000,000 and USD 152,000. In kind donations received so far ranges from of clothes, instant food, blankets, mineral water, sanitary kit, tents, medicines, to body bags and ambulance. Part of these in kind donations
have been flown into Banda Aceh by DHL and RPX on Friday (31/12) and Saturday
(1/1).
Those who would like to donate or seek information on the latest condition of the earthquake location, volunteering, tracing lost family member, and relief distribution carried out so far, please contact PMI hotline at
+62-21-7992325 ext. 402, +62-21-7944588, +62-21-7944559, fax +62-21-7944633 or
e-mail at [email protected].
For further information, contact:
Public Relations c.o.
Mrs. Aswi Nugroho
+62-811-918034
Relief Delegate of Federation
Mr. Jean-Pierre Taschereau
+62-21-79191841
SOURCE: Antara News Agency
--Distributed by AsiaNet (www.asianetnews.net)--