US govt offers assistance to victims of volcano eruption

Antara News, Wednesday, September 1, 2010 14:12 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The United States has offered $50,000 in assistance to victims of a volcano eruption in Sumatra.

The aid will be in the form of non-food aid donated through the Indonesian Red Cross, the US embassy said on its official website.

U.S. Consul General in Jakarta Stanley Harsha expressed concern for the several thousand people who have been evacuated due to the eruption of Mount Sinabung, North Sumatra on Saturday.

"We express our regrets to the victims of this natural disaster and our resolve to stand with the government and people of Indonesia during such crises," said Harsha.

The 2,460-meter-high Mt Sinabung showed its first serious volcanic activity on Aug 28, 2010 and spewed black smoke that completely covered its crater.

It erupted at 0.15 am on Sunday (Aug 29), after lying dormant for 400 years. It last erupted in 1600. On Monday (Aug 30). it erupted again, spewing white clouds of smoke and ash more than 2,000 yards (meters) into the air.

Indonesia`s Ministry of Social Affairs has sent logistics and shelters for the victims of Mt Sinabung eruption.

"Logistics and shelters have been channeled through the social affairs services of North Sumatra," Syafii Nasution of the Social Affairs Ministry said.

He said that the assistance consisted of 50 tons of rice, 960 bottles of soy sauce, 400 cartons of sardines, 120 bottles of cooking oil, 5.000 pieces of blankets, 27,000 face masks and 76 tents.

The ministry had also channeled 3,000 sarongs, 2,000 long-sleeve and long-pant clothes, 200 mats, 4 mobile public kitchens, one truck and one mobile water tank to meet the evacuees` emergency needs.

He said that based on updated data, the number of refugees until 11 am on Monday (Aug 30) was recorded at between 18,834 and 20,000 from 29 villages in 17 sub districts of Tanah Karo district where Mount Sinabung is located.