Department of State Washington File: Fact Sheet: USAID Fact Sheet on South Asia Earthquake and Tsunamis

*EPF210 12/28/2004
Fact Sheet: USAID Fact Sheet on South Asia Earthquake and Tsunamis
(United States contributes $4 million to Red Cross/Red Crescent appeal) (970)

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) released December 27 a fact sheet on U.S. humanitarian assistance following the massive December 26 earthquake in the Indian Ocean and subsequent tsunamis. USAID and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) announced a contribution of $4 million to a Red Cross/Red Crescent appeal.

An excerpt from the fact sheet follows:

(begin fact sheet)

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)

OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)

[Washington, D.C.]

SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA �� Earthquake and Tsunamis

Fact Sheet #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 December 27, 2004

NUMBERS AT A GLANCE

SOURCE

Sri Lanka

11,000 deaths, 1 million people affected

AFP[Agence France Presse], Government of Sri Lanka, December 27

India

6,600 deaths

AFP, December 27

Indonesia

4,491 deaths

Government of Indonesia, December 27

Thailand

866 deaths, 3,000 injured

Government of Thailand, December 27

Maldives

46 deaths, 70 people missing

U.S. Embassy in Colombo, December 27

Malaysia

44 deaths

AFP, December 27

Bangladesh

2 deaths

U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, December 27

Total USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance........................................$4,500,000

CURRENT SITUATION Most Powerful Earthquake in 40 Years

��According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred off the west coast of Northern Sumatra, Indonesia on December 26 at 6:58 a.m. local time. The earthquake had a depth of 10 km and triggered massive tsunamis that affected several countries throughout South and Southeast Asia.

��Reports from international media and national government sources indicate that the earthquake and tsunamis killed more than 23,000 people in South and Southeast Asia: 11,000 in Sri Lanka, 6,600 in India, 4,491 in Indonesia, 866 in Thailand, 46 in the Maldives, 44 in Malaysia, and 2 in Bangladesh. Death tolls will likely rise as rescue and recovery operations continue.

USAID/OFDA Staff Movements

��The USAID/OFDA Senior Regional Advisor, presently in Bangkok, Thailand, will lead a regional Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) to include water and sanitation experts, as well as field and information officers. USAID/DART members will be located in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, and Thailand, and will coordinate the U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian response.

IFRC Launches Appeal

��On December 26, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched a preliminary regional appeal for more than $6.6 million. USAID/OFDA will contribute $4.0 million toward the IFRC appeal.

Coordination

��On December 27, the U.N. Development Program (UNDP) hosted a multi-agency meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where representatives from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the donor community decided to form a working group to be coordinated by the Government of the United Kingdom��s Department for International Development (DFID). In addition, three disaster specialists from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) arrived in Sri Lanka on December 27 and will open an operational office.

USG [U.S. Government] ASSISTANCE

Sri Lanka and the Maldives

��On December 26, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Jeffrey J. Lunstead issued disaster declarations for both countries. The same day, USAID/OFDA provided $200,000 through USAID/Sri Lanka: $100,000 for Sri Lanka and $100,000 for the Maldives.

India

��On December 27, U.S. Ambassador to India David C. Mulford declared a disaster due to the magnitude of the effects of the tsunamis, particularly in southern coastal areas and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In response, USAID/OFDA immediately provided $100,000 through USAID/India to be divided between the Prime Minister��s Relief Fund and the Indian Red Cross for emergency activities.

Indonesia

��On December 27, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia B. Lynn Pascoe issued a disaster declaration due to the effects of the earthquake and the tsunamis. USAID/OFDA is providing $100,000 through USAID/Indonesia to the South and Southeast Asia Earthquake and Tsunamis �� December 27, 2004 Indonesian Red Cross for relief operations.

Thailand

��On December 27, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Darryl N. Johnson declared a disaster declaration due to the effects of the tsunamis. In response, USAID/OFDA is providing $100,000 through the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok to the Thai Red Cross for the procurement and distribution of emergency relief items.

[��

PUBLIC DONATION INFORMATION ��The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash contributions to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for their response to the South and Southeast Asia earthquake and tsunamis can be found in the ��How Can I Help�� section of www.usaid.gov�� - Keyword: Sumatra Earthquake, or by calling the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) at 703-276-1914.

��USAID encourages cash donations because they: allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often in the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time, warehouse space, etc); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region; ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate assistance.

��More information on making donations and volunteering can be found at:

�� o USAID: www.usaid.gov�� Keyword: Donations

�� o The Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org�� or (703) 276-1914

�� o InterAction: www.interaction.org�� Guide to Appropriate Giving��

��Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at

http://www.reliefweb.org/

USAID/OFDA bulletins appear on the USAID web site at http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance

[The full fact sheet is available at

http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/countries/south-se_asia/fy2005/south-se_asia_et_fs01-12-27-2004.pdf ]

(end fact sheet)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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