07 October 2009

Washington — The United States continues to provide a range of humanitarian assistance across East Asia and the Pacific following a tsunami, earthquakes, typhoons, flooding from torrential rains and mud-soaked landslides.

Through direct support and through international relief agencies like the Red Cross, the United States is providing emergency relief funds; disaster response teams; U.S. military support from the Navy, Marines and Air Force; and relief supplies including food, water, temporary shelters and medical supplies.

American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga were slammed by a tsunami created by an undersea earthquake early on September 29. The United States has poured support into American Samoa and made assistance available to neighboring Samoa and Tonga as their governments have asked for it. Federal recovery teams on American Samoa have delivered tents and other shelter materials to about 75 families from villages hammered by the tsunami.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters October 5 that 11 Air Force C-17 cargo planes provided nearly 700,000 pounds of supplies, blankets, electricity generators, vehicles and other assistance to people in American Samoa, and a 14-member civil support team from the Hawaii National Guard remains there to help local authorities. New Zealand officials reported that they are sending emergency supplies, food, water and essential equipment to Samoa at the request of the government.

The U.S. military is also providing emergency assistance in the Philippines and Indonesia.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has allocated $1.8 million to respond to disaster assistance needs in the Philippines. Typhoon Parma struck Luzon Island October 3 after Typhoon Ketsana struck Manila September 25.

“In the spirit of our long history of friendship and cooperation with the Philippines, the United States has been assisting the people of the Philippines,” President Obama said October 6 in Washington. “Our military forces and civilian agencies have supported local Philippine efforts by distributing relief supplies and helped in rescuing victims from inundated areas of Manila.” (See “Obama on U.S. Disaster Assistance to the Philippines.”)

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney said the embassy in Manila released $100,000 to the Philippine National Red Cross immediately after Ketsana struck “so that they could begin providing relief supplies, such as mosquito nets and hygiene kits, to those in evacuation centers.”

U.S. military personnel on duty in the Philippines have delivered relief supplies, cleared roads and provided medical care to area residents, Whitman told reporters. More than 9,300 food packages have been delivered, and more than 1,400 Philippine residents have received medical and dental care. Military personnel have also delivered 18 tons of clothing and 700 boxes of personal items.

The U.S. Navy has dispatched two ships — the USS Harpers Ferry and the USS Tortuga — to provide assistance, Whitman said.

The United Nations appealed October 5 for $74 million to help 1 million flood victims across the Philippines in the aftermath of the two typhoons. The appeal is for money to pay for food, water, sanitation facilities, emergency shelter and health care. The U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund has already provided $7 million.

In Indonesia, USAID acting Administrator Alonzo Fulgham said the agency provided $300,000 immediately after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra. “USAID has also set aside an additional $3 million to provide further assistance once rapid assessments help better identify needs,” he said.

USAID has a disaster assistance response team (DART) in Indonesia to work with government officials in assessing needs and to lead the U.S. disaster response effort. On October 5, a U.S. Air Force team reopened Tabing Airfield to accommodate C-130 cargo flights carrying relief supplies.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates authorized $7 million in logistical support to the Indonesia relief operation. U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) dispatched a humanitarian assistance rapid response team and field hospital team to Padang, Indonesia, that will be able to treat 400 patients a day.

PACOM also sent the USS Denver, the destroyer USS McCampbell and the USNS Richard Byrd. The Denver is an amphibious response ship with helicopter-lift capabilities and is expected to arrive in Padang on October 8.

An estimated 45 metric tons of emergency relief supplies sent via commercial aircraft from a USAID stockpile in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, has already arrived in Padang. The supplies include plastic sheeting, hygiene kits and generators.

Navy and Marine personnel on the USS Denver are in Indonesia to provide helicopter airlift transport, communications and medical support, the Pentagon’s Whitman said.

“We are assessing how the U.S. military can best provide support to the area,” said Navy Commander Fred Rischmiller, an amphibious force operations officer.

The U.S. Air Force has sent a 70-member humanitarian assistance and rapid-response team to Indonesia and also has been airlifting supplies from Japan and the United States.

In Vietnam, which was struck by Typhoon Ketsana, the United States contributed $100,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross for 13,000 household kits. The United States also provided another $500,000 on October 7 through the American Red Cross.

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