Posted on 12/31/2004 11:17:15 AM PST by Shermy
A United States defence reconnaissance team flew out of Medan yesterday to the stricken west coast town of Meulaboh as the US prepared to deliver a massive aid effort to Indonesia.
The US is planning to base its efforts at Meulaboh, which was almost at the epicentre of Sunday's quake and was then swamped by two giant waves. About 15,000 people are thought to have died and 80 per cent of the infrastructure was destroyed.
"We will go where the Indonesian Government wants us to go," a US embassy spokesman, Tim Gerhardson, said. "We are conscious of not telling them what they need."
But the hard-hit west coast appears to be the US focus. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is steaming from Hong Kong and should be in Sumatran waters within three or four days. It will bring 11 helicopters and support crew.
Helicopter is the only way into Meulaboh at the moment.
Yesterday a small logistics force from the US base in Okinawa, Japan, took off from the crisis centre in Medan to conduct reconnaissance in the town. Its plan is for a large-scale operation which can bring in hundreds of pallets a day, not just one at a time, which is all that a helicopter can manage.
Their first step was to work out how. The airport at Meulaboh has a large crack down the runway and is too short for C130s. That didn't seem to daunt US Marine Major Rick Steele, the logistics expert who said the runway could be fixed and extended within a day or two.
He did seem a little more worried when he learnt there may be no operating earthmoving equipment in Meulaboh.
Another option is a floating causeway which requires just a metre of water to operate as a floating runway. Major Steele's job is to work out if this is possible.
"The assessment team is trying to assess what will work best and where we should be. Help is on its way, that's the message," Mr Gerhardson said.
Also at the crisis centre was a large medical team from China, in bright orange jumpsuits. They were waiting for transport to Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province.
Dr Wu Xuejie said his team had worked on earthquake recovery before in Iran and China, which had both experienced catastrophic earthquakes in recent years.
But again yesterday, the airports at Medan and in Banda Aceh were severe bottlenecks.
Meanwhile, supplies of water, food, medicine and clothing continue to arrive at the large aircraft hangar in which they are now stacked to almost four metres high.
Looks like the US is tackling the least accessible parts of Sumatra - the closest to the quake's epicenter.
Medan on east, Meulaboh on the west. Epicenter was in the sea between Meulaboh and Simeuleu Island.
As it always is...
God bless our men and women in uniform!
Kofi is not going to like this one bit.
http://www.antaranews.net/en/index.php?id=s14037
National
Jan 1, 2005 00:30
MEULABOH CITY IN STATE OF DEVASTATION, PRACTICALLY NO SIGN OF LIFE
Jakarta, Dec 31 (ANTARA) - Many parts of Meulaboh, a coastal town in West Aceh, 80 pct of which had been totally devastated by last Sunday`s strong earthquake and subsequent tsunamis, is still covered with thick mud.
On Friday, an ANTARA journalist who observed the condition of the town from on board a helicopter, said the city was practically levelled to the ground and there was no sign of life.
The city which had a population of over 40,000 was totally destroyed and no longer has the shape and signs of an urban centre, as it had been overwhelmed by mud.
With a badly damaged leg, Meutia was camped on the floor of her younger brother's house in Meulaboh on Thursday.When she felt the earthquake on Sunday she was concerned, but not too alarmed. Although her village, Cot Kembang, lies on the west coast of Aceh, only 100 kilometres from the quake's epicentre, the initial effects were not devastating. The ground shook violently, a few walls in the village collapsed and cracks appeared in the house floor. ...
... ...
Where is that one screw French aircraft carrier? Where is the UN's aircraft carrier and rescue personnel? Where is the EU's aircraft carrier and the elderly Belgian army?
ANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Dec. 31 - The Indonesian military shifted the brunt of its rescue and relief efforts today to remote coastal towns near the epicenter of this week's tsunami disaster, converging by land, sea and air on areas that were practically wiped out by the wall of water.... ...
"Meulaboh is gone, destroyed," a senior military officer said. While the more populated area of Banda Aceh to the north has been the focus of international attention, "Meulaboh is much worse than anything we've seen in Banda Aceh," the officer said, speaking on the condition that he not be identified.
... ...
Pretty good response so far for being such a stingy nation.
"Where is that one screw French aircraft carrier? Where is the UN's aircraft carrier and rescue personnel? Where is the EU's aircraft carrier and the elderly Belgian army?"
Amen. My guess is...they're all very busy talking to each other about the mistakes others are making.
Well, folks, I guess we are supposed to help those in need and not expect thanks or to even be acknowledged. Isn't that what the Bible says? Who said it was going to be easy being Christian?
But, being human, it can't help but get to us once in a while. Makes me mad sometimes. But at least we know we have tried to make a positive difference in people's lives.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/878542/posts
Bump for the marines!!!
France's "Charles DeGaulle" has flaky nuclear reactor that contanstly blows breakers and electrical panels. Leaving the ship tied to a pier and not really seaworthy, dennisw.
The UN's rescue personnel are for the most part American Military and are busyily crossing the Pacific while others are detained elsewheres.
The EU's Aircraft Carrier IS the "Charles DeGaulle". See Above.
It looks like President Bush's Coalition is going to One-Up and rub Kofi's and the UN's face in the mud. Again!
Jack.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/878542/posts
You got that right, Dennis. Where, indeed, are all those whining maggots who hate the US?
God bless our servicemen and women.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.