SA relief team to Indonesia

2004-12-29 23:14

Johannesburg - A team of 10 relief workers will leave South Africa for Sumatra this week to help with aid work after the weekend tsunami claimed more than 80 000 lives along the Indian Ocean shorelines.

Non-governmental organisation Global Relief's executive director, Murray Louw, said on Wednesday Indonesia had accepted their offer of assistance, and with the help of the Indonesian embassy in Pretoria, the team planned to depart on Friday.

Cathay Pacific and Malaysian Airlines had provided complimentary tickets.

The team of volunteers consisted of trauma interveners, medical, engineering and search and rescue personnel.

The group would fly to the Indonesian city of Medan from where they would move to Banda Aceh which was close to the epicentre of Sunday's earthquake that measured 8.9 on the Richter scale.

Indonesia's health ministry confirmed on Wednesday that the country's death toll had risen to 45 268, with another 1 240 people still missing.

"Because of travel logistics, it will only be possible for the team to take a limited amount of emergency supplies physically from South Africa," Louw said.

Some of the most urgent equipment still needed by the team were tents, electrical generators, and 10 mountain bicycles for the team to be mobile in an area where fuel was not available

Louw appealed for financial donations.

Contributions to the relief efforts can be made through the website www.globalrelief.givengain.org or paid directly into the Global Relief cheque account: No 6206 1322 831 First National Bank, Woodbridge Branch, code 20-56-09. Swift code FIRNZAJJ.

- SAPA