audrey

[daverbee]

Originally Posted by lapietra

HONG KONG, Dec. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- International relief efforts area mounting to help the wounded and homeless recover from the unprecedented scope of devastating tsunami that swamped the coasts of Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and the Maldives on Sunday.
International relief efforts area mounting to help the wounded and homeless recover from the unprecedented scope of devastating tsunami that swamped the coasts of Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and the Maldives on Sunday.
A strong earthquake measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale and the following tsunamis on Sunday hit countries around the Indian Ocean including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand, killing more than 25,000 people and leaving millions displaced.

The German government is sending a 12-member team of water supply experts to Sri Lanka Tuesday with mobile water testing and treatment equipment.

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao announced Monday that China will airlift emergency aid to the earthquake and tsunami-struck countries and China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Finance are working to carry out the aid provision work.

Japan announced Monday to send disaster relief items worth 50.4million yen (490,000 dollars) to the victims of the earthquake and tidal waves. The aid, mostly blankets, generators and tents, will go to Indonesia, Maldives and Sri Lanka, a foreign ministry official said.

Japan sent a 20-member medical team to Sri Lanka and disaster surveillance experts to Indonesia on Monday. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Japan was ready to offer more aid as the scale of victims' needs became clearer.

The Japanese Red Cross Society earlier announced a contribution of 100 million yen to help tsunami victims.

Two Royal Australian Air Force C130 aircraft carrying essential emergency stores including medical supplies, blankets and other emergency provisions are about to leave for Southeast Asia.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has pledged 10 million Australian dollars (7 million US dollars) for relief efforts, but Prime Minister John Howard said Australia would commit more.

In the wake of the disaster, Howard said he would consider setting up an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system which could have given Phuket, Thailand, 15 minutes notice of danger and places like Sri Lanka much more time.

The Singapore government announced Monday that it will provide approximately 2 million Singapore dollars (about 1.2 million US dollars) worth of relief assistance in terms of personnel, medication and fund to countries stricken by Sunday's devastating earthquake and tsunamis.

A medical team from Singapore Armed Forces is ready to fly to Indonesia once governments of the two countries decide how to deploy the team in the best possible way.

The government will also provide 500,000 Singapore dollars (about 305,000 US dollars) to the Singapore Red Cross Society to help its appeal for public donations, said government officials.

The Nepali government has decided to provide 100,000 US dollarsto Sri Lanka where nearly 12,520 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands of others displaced.

Thanks, lala. It makes our petty little problems a bit small, doesn't it?

[lapietra]

Originally Posted by daverbee

Thanks, lala. It makes our petty little problems a bit small, doesn't it?

Yeah... I woke up yesterday morning to this news and was just... I can't even come up with the words. This is so bad, my brain is having trouble getting around the number. And for some reason, when I read through this thread... well, you know.

[madasacutsnake]

^^

Yes, I too remain devastated that Alexander Downer is still our Foreign Minister.

[Magpie]

Yup I agree.

Now can we allow this thread to slip into obscurity?