SA rescuers ready to help

2004-12-26 13:24

Johannesburg - Rescue South Africa (RSA) - a volunteer organisation comprising of rescuers, paramedics, doctors and firefighters from around the country - said it was on standby to help with search and rescue missions in South Eastern Asia.

An earthquake, measuring 8.9 on the Richter Scale, struck a little to the west of the Indonesian island of Sumatra early on Sunday.

Smaller quakes and tsunamis ravaged the coastlines of six countries, with more than 1 000 people killed in Sri Lanka, the worst hit by the incident.

RSA chief executive Ian Scher RSA has contacted the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (Insarag) in Geneva, and was waiting to "see if their assistance was required".

"Through our diplomatic missions we are co-ordinating with authorities in Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, SriLanka and the Maldives to check whether there are any South Africans affected by this unfortunate development," Scher told Sapa.

"In the mean time we are sending our condolences to governments that have been affected by this disaster."

It was earlier reported that four South Africans were missing in Thailand where tidal waves struck a popular holiday destination, foreign affairs said on Sunday.

Departmental spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said he had no further information on how South Africans had been affected by a massive Indonesian quake.

In Thailand, where many South Africans holiday in December, 99 people have been confirmed dead and 1 100 injured.

The Democratic Alliance sent a support message of support to the east-Asian countries affected.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they deal with the tragic aftermath of the massive earthquake and consequent tidal waves," said DA MP Douglas Gibson in a statement.

Gibson said the DA hoped the international community would be "open-hearted" in helping families left homeless by the floods.

- SAPA