Indonesia extends condolence to Nepal, sends aids

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government has extended heartfelt condolences to the government of Nepal over Saturday's powerful quakes that kill at least 3,351 people and will immediately send emergency relief assistance to help thousands of affected people there.

Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said on Monday that Indonesia would assist $1 million fund, medicine, medical men, volunteers, tents and other equipment badly needed for emergency situation, to Nepal. "Indonesia will send volunteers, $1 million? to help the victim of quake in Nepal,"he said at Shangrilla Hotel.

The powerful 7.9 magnitude quake on Saturday, which was followed by strong aftershocks, also wounded at least 6,000 people in Nepal and those in neighboring countries, and caused massive damages.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has conducted coordination with the Indonesian mission office in Kathmandu and Dhaka on the sending of aids to Nepal, the statement from the Foreign Ministry said here on Monday.

As many as 34 Indonesian citizens are in Nepal and 17 of them have been contacted and survived the tragedy.

Indonesia received aids from ASEAN countries and other nations when it was hit by Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 that killed over 170,000 people in Aceh at the northern tip of Sumatra Island and other catastrophes in the vast archipelago country.