The United States said on Tuesday that it could provide Indonesia with military logistic support after the country was struck by a strong earthquake which reportedly has killed more than 1,000 people.
"Basically, we're looking at whether military assets may be needed depending on assessments coming from teams," deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters.
"Those assets could be airlifts, communications, logistical support, resources that the Defense Department might have, just, sort of, the catalog of possibilities given what the needs might be," Ereli said.
The spokesman said that the US ambassador in Indonesia had provided US$100,000 from his emergency fund to help children on both islands devastated by Monday's quake.
"I would note that significant assistance from the United States is already moving to the area," he said.
A major earthquake, which registered at least 8.5 on the Richter scale, struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Monday. It was the biggest aftershock since a strong quake, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, struck the same region on December 26, 2004.
Ereli said the State Department has alerted its diplomats in South and Southeast Asia to go into the host governments "in order to be in a position to get information about casualties so that we can be in a position to respond with assistance, if necessary,"
Washington deployed 16,000 military personnel, 26 ships, 58 helicopters and 43 fixed wing aircraft in the relief and recovery effort when the December 26 tsunami left more than 270,000 dead around the Indian Ocean, the majority in Indonesia's Aceh Province.
In addition, the White House also pledged total aid of US$950 million to help rebuild economies hit by the tragedy.
(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2005)
