The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will provide
10,000 emergency tents for victims of the powerful earthquake and subsequent
tsunami that ravaged the western part of Aceh on Dec. 26, the Indonesian Antara
news agency quoted a UNHCR spokesman as saying Saturday.
UNHCR senior regional external media officer Mans Nyberg said in Banda Aceh
that the tents were designed for use by small families consisting of two parents
and three children and equipped with household goods.
"The tents are so light that one can be carried by only two people and
erected only in about 30 minutes," he said.
UNHCR would focus its humanitarian activity on Aceh's west coast, he said
adding that Banda Aceh, capital of Aceh province, had received adequate
humanitarian assistance.
"We have already opened a branch office in Meulaboh and are setting up
another one in Lamno subdistrict, Aceh Jaya district today," he said.
"We have sent a team to Calang subdistrict to explore the possibility of
establishing a branch as well and will start an airbridge using helicopters from
Medan and Banda Aceh to the west coast," he said.
Nyberg said UNHCR had been helping the Indonesian government to provide
temporary shelters for tsunami victims in 24 locations in Aceh and is ready to
reconstruct damaged houses or build new houses.
