9/13/2007
JAKARTA: The United Nations sent an assessment and humanitarian aid team to Bengkulu from its Aceh base Thursday following Wednesday's earthquake off the southern coast of Sumatra as international aidbegin to pour into the island.
"The earthquake is one of the biggest Sumatra has seen since 2005, and raises old fears in a country that had suffered tremendously from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami already," undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordination John Holmes said in a statement.
"Mindful of the extensive damage done to parts of Indonesia less than three years ago, the United Nations stand ready to provide any assistance the government may require," he added.
Australia became the first country to announce its commitment to help the victims of the quake with a AUD$50,000 donation to the Indonesian Red Cross on Thursday.
Several other aid agencies have pledged cash andrushed teams to assess damage and help the injured.
U.S.-based Catholic Relief Services said it has committed an initial $50,000 to the earthquake recovery effort.
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