Tsunami: IRC sends $53 000

2007-04-02 19:23

Geneva - The International Red Cross will send $53 000 (about R385 000) to the Solomon Islands Red Cross in the wake of Monday's tsunami that struck the Pacific islands at the weekend.

The money will go towards damage assessments, the purchase and shipping of relief supplies, said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

It comes from the organisation's disaster relief emergency fund.

At least fifteen people were killed after a powerful undersea earthquake unleashed a tsunami that hit the western Solomon Islands, destroying entire villages.

The wall of water triggered by the 8.0-magnitude quake - which witnesses said was up to five metres high - swamped towns, flattened homes, and sparked panic among residents of the impoverished South Pacific state.

The US Geological Survey reported aftershocks measuring up to 6.7 throughout Monday, including a tremor of 6.0 at 18:50 (07:50 GMT).

Geophysicists warned that more large earthquakes could be expected in the coming days.

Across the Pacific, governments from Australia to New Caledonia evacuated schools and urged coastal residents to move to higher ground, but no damage was reported.

- SAPA