... was given to help Philippine people who were affected by the flash flood triggered by tropical storm Washi...Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government has provided US$500,000 in relief aid to the Philippines for flash flood victims in the neighboring country's south, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said.
"The aid was given to help Philippine people who were affected by the flash flood triggered by tropical storm Washi," he said here on Thursday.
The relief aid consisted of cash worth US$300,000 and fast food, medicines and equipment worth US$200,000, he said.
He said the government would also soon dispatch a team of 20 professional volunteers to the Philippines. The team would consist of doctors paramedics, officers of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the Search and Rescue (SAR) Agency.
The aid was taken from the BNPB's fund used to mitigate natural disasters, he said.
He said the aid showed the Indonesian government`s care for the sufferings of the flash flood victims.
Meanwhile, Head of the BNPB's Data and Information Center Sutopo Nugroho said the tropical storm had hit Mindanao, South Philippines, on December 16, 2011.
"Hundreds of people were killed and went missing in the disaster," he said.
Sutopo said the Indonesian team of professional volunteers would go to the Philippines bringing alsong with them various kinds of equipment needed in disaster mitigation work. (W004)
Editor: Ade P Marboen
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
