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Canada to Provide $1.5Mln to Groups Responding to Indonesia Earthquake, Tsunami

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Canada will provide $1.5 million in emergency assistance to help support humanitarian groups responding to the earthquake and tsunami that hit Indonesia on Friday, the Canadian government said in a press release.
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"The Honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development, today announced that Canada will provide $1.5 million in emergency assistance to support humanitarian organizations responding to the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Indonesia on September 28, 2018," the release said on Tuesday.

The emergency assistance will help support humanitarian partners on the ground in Indonesia working in communities that require much-needed help, Bibeau said in the release.

READ MORE: Eastern Indonesia Hit by 5.9-Magnitude Earthquake — US Geological Survey

The funding will help provide clean water, food, shelter, emergency first aid and basic health care, according to the release.

Meanwhile, several Americans were evacuated from Indonesia, but no US citizens were among the victims of the disaster on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

"Several US citizens have been safely evacuated. There have been no reports of US citizens who have been killed or injured," Nauert said.

Nauert also said that the United States' thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami.

"We have provided an initial tranche of funding and deployed USAID disaster experts to conduct damage assessments, identify priority needs and coordinate US response efforts with the government of Indonesia," the spokesperson added. "We are working with USAID and our counterparts at other government agencies to determine what additional help the United Stated government can provide."

READ MORE: Death Toll From Indonesian Earthquake, Tsunami Exceeds 1,200 People — Reports

Over 1,200 Criminals Escape Indonesian Prisons Following Devastating Tsunami
On Friday, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Sulawesi, causing a 2-meter-high (6.5-foot-high) tsunami to strike the city of Palu and the Donggala area in Central Sulawesi. According to the latest media reports, the disaster has claimed over 1,200 lives.

The global community has actively responded with offers of support to Indonesia, with South Korea allocating $1 million in humanitarian assistance. French, US and Turkish leaders also voiced their willingness to help, while the United Nations mobilized its rescue and relief efforts. The International Monetary Fund has pledged to raise funds among its management and staff.

 

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