The United States is sending $3 million more aid to Indonesia to help the tens of thousands left homeless by the earthquake and tsunami on September 28 that devastated the island of Sulawesi and took 2,000 lives.
That boosts to nearly $11 million total U.S. contributions to the massive relief effort, including $6.7 million through the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.
USAID disaster assistance teams are working alongside the government of Indonesia and with several humanitarian organizations.
The 7.5 magnitude earthquake unleashed a wall of water that struck the island of Sulawesi with little warning. Some 2,000 people were killed, and hundreds are still missing on the island, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The USAID team is operating out of Jakarta and Balikpapan, where the government of Indonesia set up a staging area for humanitarian relief items for transport to affected communities in Sulawesi. From this staging area, members of USAID’s teams are coordinating relief flights with the U.S. military.
USAID is working with World Vision to provide emergency shelter kits, blankets, hygiene kits, solar-powered lamps and other supplies, as well as safe places for children to cope and to play.
Part of the $3 million in additional assistance will provide temporary jobs that help people get back on their feet and support the management of temporary housing sites.
“This is what we mean when we say we are Indonesia’s partner,” said U.S. Ambassador Joseph R. Donovan Jr.
