Jakarta – Today the USS Denver, an amphibious response vessel with helicopter and lift capabilities and the USS McCampbell arrived to help the earthquake victims in West Sumatra.  The Denver’s arrival is the latest in a broad, continuing United States effort to provide appropriate assistance to Indonesia more than one week after the devastating earthquake.  The multifaceted U.S. relief effort will continue apace with Indonesia’s long-term program to rehabilitate the stricken area.  To date the U.S. Government has spent over US$ 8 million for the West Sumatran earthquake assistance campaign. 

Assistance from the U.S. ranges from the fully operational U.S. Pacific Command Humanitarian Assistance Rapid Response Team (HARRT) field hospital to 45 metric tons of supplies from the U.S. Agency for International Development which expects to transport emergency relief commodities from its stockpile in Dubai to Padang.  In addition, a USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) is working with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to arrange transportation for non-governmental organization (NGO) emergency relief supplies and teams to affected areas on five U.S. military helicopters which arrived on the ships today.  The humanitarian needs of the people affected by the West Sumatra earthquakes are being assessed by the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) who will help program US$ 4 million in planned USAID/OFDA assistance for the earthquake response. 

An initial grant of US$ 300,000 was awarded to Mercy Corps on October 3, 2009 to assist with water, sanitation and shelter in quake-affected areas.  An addition to the US$ 4 million USDA/OFDA funds set aside to provide further assistance once humanitarian needs are determined based on local aerial surveys.  Also U.S. Secretary of Defense has authorized US$ 7 million for relief operations in Indonesia.  These funds include support for the relief ships and helicopters, the HARRT, and an eight person U.S. Air force team which assisted Indonesia in re-opening the Tabing airfield for operations. 

The United States Government will continue to partner with the Government of Indonesia in helping the people of West Sumatra overcome this tragedy. 

For more information about the U.S. Embassy’s activities please visit: http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/.