Six days on and still they wait for help - A dozen U.S. ships with 40 helicopters

Daily Telegraph ^ | January 1, 2005

[Cincinatus' Wife]

US helicopters arrive at the airport in Banda Aceh

Aid agencies and military transports are beginning to deliver aid to the areas of Indonesia and Sri Lanka worst hit by the Asian tsunami, six days after the giant wave killed at least 124,000 people.

But the scale of the devastation and the difficulty in co-ordinating relief efforts has meant that aid workers are facing major problems in reaching areas outside major towns.

Indonesia, which bore the brunt of the tsunami last Sunday, has confirmed that 80,000 people died in the disaster, but has warned that it may never know exactly how many were killed.

The United Nations says that 150,000 could have died and has estimated that five million people need aid.

Rescue workers have warned that hundreds of thousands of people could die after going without food since the tsunami struck.

A dozen US navy vessels are heading for the Indonesian and Sri Lankan coasts, carrying more than 40 helicopters to deliver supplies and medical teams.

The moves began as Washington increased its aid package to more than £180 million, taking the donations from governments to nearly £1 billion.

The ships include the aircraft carrier the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is anchored off the coast of Sumatra and is using helicopter food drops reach people in Aceh, the Indonesian province worst hit by the wave.

However, the damage to the infrastructure in Aceh has meant that few roads are passable by lorries, while the airport in Banda Aceh, the area's main city, has been overwhelmed with aid flights.

Michael Elmquist, the head of the United Nations disaster relief operation in Indonesia, said: "The aircraft going in and going out are just taxing the capacity to the very limit."

The chaos has meant that some camps near the city were reported to have ample supplies while aid workers were struggling to find transport to reach the south of the province.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who was making his second trip to the disaster zone, said: "The scale of the disaster is just too big. We can bring in the aid, food, but we need manpower to distribute them."

The problems are similiar in Sri Lanka, where nearly 29,000 people are believed to have died, and have been worsened by flash floods caused by heavy rain.

Reports said more than 2,000 people already affected by the tsunami were forced from their temporary shelters in the eastern Alanaichchani region.

India, where more than 10,000 died, has continued to refuse international help, saying it can cope on its own.

But the aid effort in the Maldives is being hampered by the airport in Male being only operational during the day and the lack of transport available to reach its far-flung islands.

[backhoe]

Master source of links here, updated frequently:

The Great Wave- Sumatra Quake and tsunami of 2004

Despite all this, a happy new year to you and your family. Like the "prospect of being hung concentrating the mind wonderfully," this catyclism certainly makes you appreciate being safe, warm, and dry.

[MEG33]

Amen,backhoe...

[csvset]

While our troops are engaged in humanitarian relief efforts, I do hope they remain vigilant against attacks by Islamic wackos.

[Iowa Granny]

Thanks for cataloging all these articles. You are doing a great job.

And Happy New Year to you and yours.

[beyond the sea]

Like the "prospect of being hung concentrating the mind wonderfully," this cataclysm certainly makes you appreciate being safe, warm, and dry.

Yes!

I found the reports of tourists over in those areas safely just blocks away from the ravaged ares just a little disgusting. They were in untouched areas and were joyously drinking and celebrating the New Year at the bars and restaurants as the destruction and death was a block or two away.

Pretty disgusting, imo!

[shubi]

"India, where more than 10,000 died, has continued to refuse international help, saying it can cope on its own. "

Yep, 10,000 people dead is nothing in a population like India has. I think this is understated, though. They probably had many more, but don't want international agencies to up the count. They probably don't trust the UN any more than I do. The UN has been exaggerating things trying to get more money for its corrupt people.

[kingu]

While the press is covering the movements of the aircraft carrier, one of the untold stories are the AOR ships which are part of the carrier support group. They are fanning out to the more remote regions where their two helicopters and three launches head in all directions to deliver what supplies they can before returning to the ship and as a friend described it, 'puttin' up the rooster tail,' to head to another group of islands.

The sad part is that while the water purifiers and MREs are welcome, the first request is always for body bags.

Air Force cargo planes are doing drops where islands used to be in the vague hope that there will be someone there who can use the flotation devices and relief food packs, though no one is holding their breath.

Reporters at the Pentagon are really missing the boat on this story, and I'm sorry to see that they're more concerned about the amount of relief money (which won't buy anything for starving folks right now, only later in the future) and the real relief efforts under way right now.

As for threats to the US Navy ships, there are few boats still in condition for ocean travel, but all ships are apparently on hostile threat conditions with close defense systems on 'live key' - the systems are warmed up, key engaged and can be activated in seconds from the 24 hour manned CIC. The carrier itself is staying 20 minutes (helicopter time) off the coast and is constantly defended by both air cap and Aegis cruisers.

Hats off to our service people who are actually doing stuff rather than the UN which is contemplating how much they can skim off of relief efforts and will perhaps do something someday. I, as always, urge folks who want to help out to make open ended donations to the Red Cross - don't mark it just for tsunami relief. They'll know how to spend the money and we really don't need their hands tied with huge accounts that are specific for one disaster. Initial funds for tsunami relief came out of the general disaster funds and can't be repaid by donations to tsunami relief. Help the Red Cross because you'll never know when you'll need them yourself.

[shubi]

"I found the reports of tourists over in those areas safely just blocks away from the ravaged ares just a little disgusting. They were in untouched areas and were joyously drinking and celebrating the New Year at the bars and restaurants as the destruction and death was a block or two away.

Pretty disgusting, imo!"

I find that behavior a lot less sickening that wallowing in self-absorbed pity. Life goes on. This was really not a very major event except in Sumatra.

[shubi]

"Air Force cargo planes are doing drops where islands used to be in the vague hope that there will be someone there who can use the flotation devices and relief food packs, though no one is holding their breath."

No one is holding their breath- you could have chosen your words a little better, there. ;-)

I think what we need to face is the Bandeh Aceh region is pretty much gone. I would bet the people in the remote areas are doing just fine, those that survived. Rural people normally are more resourceful than soft city dwellers.

[shubi]

"But the aid effort in the Maldives is being hampered by the airport in Male being only operational during the day and the lack of transport available to reach its far-flung islands."

47 islands are gone.

It liked to isolate foreigners on certain islands so they would not "corrupt" the Islamic residents. Now they are paying for that policy.

We should not support such racism.

[joesnuffy]

Giving millions of dollars or dumping food, medicine, and equipment off into the waiting arms of corrupt officials and those who are our enemies...then leaving and patting yourself on the back isn't going to do anything but more harm to innocents...

Bill Clintons very public relief efforts in places like Somalia where tax payer dollars went to subsidize Islamic terrorists and eventually led to the killing of our troops through strengthening of our enemies political power.."Blawk Hawk Down"

Jimmy Carter had North Korea on the ropes their army was starving as were their people...Carter dipped into the wallets of American taxpayers without asking...and gave away food and money without accountability to the N Korean communists who fed their army and spent the US tax dollars on nuclear weapon production...

If we control the process then giving relief is a good thing...we should never throw money at anything without accountability..including and especially our own leaders..

imo

[Bon mots]

US Helicopters are landing in Indonesia.
C-130s have been doing so in Thailand since BEFORE KOFI ANNAN RETURNED FROM HIS VACATION.

Where is the press on the story of Kofi Annan being too busy at the tony ski resorts of Jackson Hole Wyoming to put down his martini and get to work? After all, this is HIS JOB, NOT PRESIDENT BUSH's!

Yet the New York Times published a scathing article attacking President Bush, who has actually done something, as opposed to Kofi Annan who sheepishly said he was 'working'. Then he boldly proclaimed that he had planned a meeting for next week.

The gross incompetence and dereliction of duty - demonstrated AGAIN and AGAIN - by Kofi Annan is astounding. Almost as astounding as the silence, or worse, the accolades showered upon this incompetent corrupt wannabe despot who repeatedly proves incapable of handling any of the various crises which have confronted the world since he was Secretary General.

[Red Sea Swimmer]

You wrote...

"This was really not a very major event except in Sumatra."

You are in desperate need of an empathy transplant.

How far does your "Boundary of Concern" extend ?

1 - Your lounge room 2 - Your bank account 3 - Your reflection in the mirror

Your comment adds nothing to a terrible situation. It neither uplifts, informs or assists. You offer no sympathy for the victims and you minimize the disaster which is historically significant in its breadth and nature.

Perspective for some is a word to look up in the dictionary.

[beyond the sea]

This was really not a very major event except in Sumatra.

LOL!

I'll write that down and register it as perhaps the most foolish and ill-advised comment of the year.

You may have a winner, but keep in mind there are still 364 more days to go.

[Red Sea Swimmer]

I can assure you that the people of Banda Aceh, (Please Note - It's a capital city not a region), are not "soft city dwellers". The Acehnese are very proud and independent people.

Also, huge numbers of the "rural people" on the west coast of Aceh are not doing fine. Over 40,000 people have died. Can you imagine the trauma and pain of the friends and relatives of the deceased ?

Hidup Indonesia !

[squarebarb]

Thank you for this information, it should have been a post, this is the kind of info I was looking for.

The MSM is just concentrating on how many dollars are given. But clearly logistics is now the problem.

[beyond the sea]

For a guy who suggests that "I direct a homeless ministry in the inner city", your comment about the vast tragedy and death over the past days --" This was really not a very major event except in Sumatra" seems quite absurd.

Perhaps you should wait another month or two and then tell the world again " This was really not a very major event........."

Sad

[beyond the sea]

Your comment adds nothing to a terrible situation. It neither uplifts, informs or assists. You offer no sympathy for the victims and you minimize the disaster which is historically significant in its breadth and nature. ......... Perspective for some is a word to look up in the dictionary.

You arer so right, RSS. He/she also added this alarmingly foolish and insensitive gem to me in post # 9 --"This was really not a very major event except in Sumatra."

I told him/her that that just may be the most foolish comment of the year even after the next 364 days, but he/she seems to have given you a few also.

[pageonetoo]

All of this is surreal to me, numbing to my senses, but all too real for those in need. Donating to Salvation Army, et al, is a worthy thing to do, but our people working there on the scene, are the ones displaying the American soul.

I can picture the sailors/soldiers/airmen/marines working until they drop... and being unsung heroes! I can see our equipment tested and abused, to help the injured and maimed, the broken and hungry... and passing muster with a little help, and huge gulps of fuel... I can feel the people across the world lifting prayers...and being heard!

Semper fi, from a Navy guy! Support the needs...