Brussels, 28/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - EU Member States' governments, the European Commission and a series of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) immediately started mobilising emergency aid for the countries in Asia hit by the massive tsunamis (tidal waves) on Sunday, which killed more than 23,000 people, but the number of deaths is continuing to rise. An earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra caused massive tidal waves, veritable walls of water, in Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives and Bangladesh.
Responding to aid requests from Asia, the countries of the EU (thousands of EU tourists were on holiday in the region) have already announced emergency aid in the form of money and specialist teams of medical staff and other experts. As soon as it heard about the disaster, the European Commission released EUR 3 million to 'cover vital initial needs (delivered by the EU's operational partners, the Red Cross/Red Crescent and NGOs). The Commission promised rapid substantial assistance 'once the scale of needs is more fully known'. The Commission explained that up to EUR 30 million can be mobilised using the special Civil Protection Mechanism. Louis Michel, the European Commissioner responsible for humanitarian and development aid, said that the Commission was talking about substantial aid because this is one of the worst disasters on earth for many years. The Commission will be providing water, shelter, food, blankets and, at a later date, healthcare. Nobody who saw the events on the television can fail to be moved, said Louis Michel, adding that the tragedies experienced by so many communities demand a massive, rapid response from the international community to top up national relief efforts.
As soon as the European Commission mobilised the Civil Protection mechanism, EU Member States and other countries of Europe immediately announced aid for the victims of the tsunamis in Asia. On Monday, France sent a plane with a hundred or so civil disaster relief experts, medical equipment and 800 kg of medicines. Germany released EUR 1 million and a team of experts has been sent to assess needs. The British International Development minister provided EUR 76900 for the World Health Organisation's relief efforts. The government of the Netherlands provided EUR 2 million for the International Red Cross. Greece is to earmark EUR 300,000 in emergency aid, half for the Maldives and half for Sri Lanka, and two military transport planes will take more than 6 tonnes of humanitarian aid material, six doctors and seven disaster relief experts (in cooperation with Greek NGOs). Ireland has promised initial aid of EUR 1 million. The Czech Republic has earmarked EUR 328,000 in various types of aid. Slovakia will send ten tonnes of humanitarian aid by plane in the next twenty-four hours. EU candidate country Turkey (hit in August and November 1999 by earthquakes killing 20,000 people) will raise money and send at least EUR 170,000 for reconstruction projects. The Swiss government has earmarked EUR 660,000.
Various charities are raising money and sending aid in addition to government efforts. The Red Cross/Red Crescent has made an international appeal for EUR 5 million.
Various EU and third country governments have offered sincere condolences and sympathy with the countries hit by the tidal waves in South-East Asia. 'It was with shock and great sadness that the European Commission President, José Manuel Durao Barroso, learned about the tidal waves in Asia which tragically claimed so many lives'. The President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrel. Said he was deeply disturbed and staggered by the earthquake, commenting that words cannot be found to express solidarity in the face of such catastrophes. The EU is providing immediate emergency aid, said Borrell, adding that further aid efforts will have to match the scale of the task ahead to ensure those hit are not only provided with humanitarian aid, but also aid in many other sectors, with the priority going to health, housing and infrastructure. On behalf of the Presidency of the EU, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende and Dutch foreign minister Bernard Bot, offered their condolences to their counterparts in South-East Asian countries affected by the tidal waves.