Flies More Than 500 Tons Of Supplies To Tsunami Victims

As of January 14th, Russia had flown more than 500 tons of vital relief supplies to the disaster stricken nations of South East Asia with the overall contribution to the worldwide aid effort estimated at 22 million dollars.

The Russian Federation immediately joined the global relief operation to provide humanitarian aid to the countries affected by the natural disaster in the Indian Ocean. From December 26, 2004 to January 5, 2005, Russia deployed duty units from the national humanitarian emergency response corps of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies, men and equipment from the Russian Defense Ministry and the Russian Reserve and other resources to provide the necessary assistance in response to the received requests (the first request for assistance was received from the government of Sri Lanka at 11:30 on December 26, 2004).

In the early morning of December 27, 2004, two Emergency Ministry IL-76 transports departed from Russia on the flight path Moscow-Shardja-Colombo-Shardja-Moscow. The first plane delivered a group of rescue workers, a search-and-rescue helicopter, special transportation equipment and various supplies. The second plane delivered tents and blankets to Sri Lanka.

During the first stage of the relief operation in Sri Lanka, Russia focused on supporting the international coordination of the emergency relief effort. Two representatives of the Russian Emergencies Ministry joined the UN Group on Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC), ensuring that rescue teams and humanitarian cargo from various countries and organizations were received appropriately at the airport in Colombo.

A Bo-105 Eurocopter, which arrived on board one of the IL-76s and thanks to Global Radius technology could be prepared for action in 30 minutes after delivery, proved very effective in rescue operations, including those at the request of the UN Mission. It conducted reconnaissance flights over areas of the island (up to six kilometers inland) devastated by the tidal wave.

In cooperation with officials from the medical department of the Kalutara district, Russian rescue workers immediately joined work to provide medical aid to the local population. They helped 362 injured people, including 114 children aged from 1 month to 17 years, concentrating their efforts on the territory of a Buddhist temple and a Catholic church, where people sought shelter after losing their housing. Considering the complicated epidemic situation, rescue workers had to take strict hygienic measures.

Search-and-rescue operations were focused on areas where the transportation infrastructure and vehicles (roads, trains, and sea-faring vessels) had been destroyed by the tsunami. Groups of local volunteers worked effectively in relief operations under the instruction of Russian experts.

During the initial stage of the relief operation, international rescue teams encountered various problems, including a lack of organization and communications, controversy over the order of relief operations in various regions, and a lack of security. For example, the subversive operations of separatists in the northern regions stopped the relief effort of an Austrian rescue team. Nevertheless, with the creation of the National Relief Management Center under the President of Sri Lanka, the coordination of relief effort improved significantly and the Russian rescue team was sent to southern regions of the island (cities of Kalutara and Galle). Representatives from headquarters of the local branch of the Socialist Party and police were assigned to the Russian team to ensure coordination and liaison.

On December 29, 2004, the third IL-76 with tents, water-purifying systems and disinfectants was sent to Colombo.

On December 30, 2004, the fourth IL-76 flight, carrying three tons of bottled drinking water desperately needed on the devastated Thai coast, took off from Russia along the route Yekaterinburg-Shardja-Phuket-Shardja-Moscow.

On their return flights, the planes carried 113 Russian and CIS citizens who had lost their documents and personal possessions in the natural disaster in Thailand and Sri Lanka, and needed medical assistance, including on the flight.

On January 5-7, 2005, the fifth plane, an IL-76, flew to Indonesia following the route Moscow-Shardja-Medan-Shardja-Moscow, delivering tents, blankets, linen and electric power generators to the island of Sumatra.

Starting from January 7, 2005, in accordance with instructions of the Russian president on further increasing the Russian relief effort to Southeast Asian countries devastated by the natural disaster, the Russian government decided to supplement the efforts of the Russian Emergencies Ministry with aviation and resources from the Defense Ministry, the Russian Reserve, and the Health Ministry. Moreover, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture sent grain supplies to the region.

FMI: www.rian.ru