A 7.6-magnitude quake rocked West Sumatra province last Wednesday, killing more than 1,000 people and devastating scores of villages and towns. Since then aid and condolences for quake victims in West Sumatra have been pouring in from various countries.
Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf sent a letter of condolence to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Saturday.
“The Queen and I wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to you Mr. President, to the bereaved families and to the people of Indonesia,” the letter said.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy sent a similar message to Yudhoyono:
“I wish to convey my condolences to the families of the victims and my sympathy and support to the injured victims with the hope that they recover quickly,” Sarkozy said.
From day one, the United Nations in Indonesia has been working with the government to provide assistance to the quake victims and coordinate the relief efforts of the international humanitarian community.
As part of its preliminary assistance, the UN has provided family kits, school tents, health reproductive kits to 50,000 families and heavy equipment for Search and Rescue efforts.
