U.S., Australia express commitments to help flood victims

JAKARTA (JP): Several countries including the U.S. and Australia have expressed their commitments to convey assistance for hundreds of thousands of flood victims, whose houses in Jakarta and its surroundings, have been inundated since last Friday.

The U.S. government will provide US$100,000 of emergency relief assistance for displaced people, according to a press release from the U.S. embassy in Jakarta Monday.

The embassy said that the assistance will be channeled through the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and its local partner -- the Indonesian Red Cross--, CARE, Mercy Corps, and World Vision.

Meanwhile, the Australian embassy in Jakarta also said that his country will also provide 150,000 Australian dollar (US$116,243) to support the Indonesian government to help flood victims.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said in his statement that the assistance include 5,000 food packages and 5,000 hygienic stuffs.
At least 25 people have been killed, with some 340,000 others forced from their homes, most staying in mosques, schools or with friends. Electricity and water supplies were cut in many districts, and floods blocked off scores of roads.