SINGAPORE – The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will be deploying two officers to Indonesia following the 6.5-magnitude earthquake that has claimed more than 97 lives in Aceh, Indonesia.
The two SCDF officers will form part of a five-man ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT), SCDF said in a statement Wednesday (Dec 7).
The ERAT will provide quick assessments to determine the critical resources such as tents, medical kits, and sanitation facilities required for the areas affected by the earthquake.
The two SCDF officers will depart for Indonesia on Dec 8 and are expected to be there for a week.
“The Government of Singapore expresses our deepest condolences to the Government of Indonesia and the families of the victims in this time of grief.”
The Indonesian army has deployed more than 1,000 soldiers and about 900 police to the worst-hit areas to set up shelters and evacuation points, AFP reported.
In 2004, Aceh was also struck by a tsunami after an earthquake in the Indian Ocean. More than 170,000 people were killed in Indonesia alone.
Then, Singapore deployed three Navy ships – RSS Endurance, RSS Persistence and RSS Endeavour – off the coast of Meulaboh to aid with recovery efforts.
grongloh@sph.com.sg
