MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
McMullan
Australia is sending an initial shipment of emergency supplies to Santiago de Chile, on the next LAC Chile flight out of Sydney, currently scheduled for Saturday 6 March 2010.
The emergency supplies include 50 generators, 150 family tents and 1,060 collapsible field beds, all requested by the Government of Chile.
The supplies will arrive in Santiago and then be transported to the worst-affected areas around the city of Concepcion to provide temporary housing and power.
On 2 March 2010 the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith announced an initial contribution of $1 million in emergency assistance and a further $4 million in reconstruction assistance to Chile after the devastating 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck on 27 February 2010.
The most recent situation reports indicate at least 2 million people affected, 500,000 homes destroyed and 802 deaths, with this figure still expected to rise.
Australia has also offered a team of structural engineers to support the Chilean Government to carry out damage assessments on public buildings and infrastructure affected by the earthquake, if required.
The priority at this stage is emergency assistance. We will continue to coordinate our efforts with the Chilean authorities, the United Nations and other Latin American countries.