2005-22
WASHINGTON, DC - In response to the March 28th earthquake off the coast of Indonesia, the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) is providing $100,000 through the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia. The funds will be allocated to CARE and Save the Children, international non-governmental organizations already working in the area. In addition, food and other relief supplies already in Indonesia are being transported via ferry to meet emergency needs.
The earthquake, measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale, occurred off the western coast of Sumatra and caused extensive damage to the islands of Nias and Simeulue. In Aceh province, the area hardest hit by the December 26, 2004 tsunami, electricity and communications were disrupted. USAID/ OFDA staff working in Banda Aceh reported seeing no evidence of new substantial damage in the town and residents that fled their homes in the night immediately following the earthquake had returned.
"The people in Indonesia have already suffered so much, and this most recent earthquake has sadly claimed even more lives. We already had emergency supplies and partners in the region, so we are able to quickly reach the worst-hit areas with assistance," said USAID Administrator Andrew S. Natsios.
USAID staff in Banda Aceh are traveling to the Nias and Simeulue islands to participate in a multi-agency assessment. Relief supplies and personnel already working in the region are available to provide urgent assistance. A USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) with search and rescue components is on stand-by to be deployed to the region if necessary. The USG initial contribution of $100,000 will support CARE and Save the Children in their relief activities, including the provision of emergency supplies and transport. Pending assessment reports, addtional funding may be available.
The $100,000 approved today is in addition to the ongoing relief and reconstruction program of the U.S. government to the tsunami region. The USG has provided over $120,000,000 in humanitarian and recovery assistance to date. For more information on the tsunami and USAID's work, please see "Tsunami Relief" at www.usaid.gov.
Contact:
USAID Press Office
Press Office: 202-712-4320
Public Information: 202-712-4810
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.