--- type: Article title: Earthquake Tsunami donations description: When Paula and I were in New Zealand in November there was an earthquake of 7.2 offshore to the SW in the Tasman sea. The Boxing Day tsunami that followed was devastating. resource: https://www.simoncox.com/short-articles/2004-12-31-earthquake-tsunami-donations/ tags: [Shorticles, Life, News] timestamp: 2004-12-31 --- When Paula and I were in New Zealand in November there was an earthquake of 7.2 offshore to the SW in the Tasman sea. On the 23rd Dec an 8.1 struck the same area. In hindsite one can say that this was obviously a portent for what was to come offshore of Indonesia. As I write this the official death toll is over 124,000 (135,000 on CNN). That's 41 times worse than 9/11. In the UK our total contributions right now is over £50m - not far short of £1 per person so I would expect the USA to be contributing about $300m by now but I think its only $18m - come on America please show how mighty you really are. I have just donated £30 on behalf of Paula and myself on the [Disasters Emeregency Committee Tsunami Earthquake Appeal website](https://web.archive.org/web/20091125022454/http://www.dec.org.uk/ "Disasters Emeregency Committee Tsunami Earthquake Appeal website") and if everyone else did the same then even more lives will be saved in the next few weeks. ### Update! Found via [Andy's Blogography ](https://web.archive.org/web/20091125022454/http://www.andybudd.com/archives/2004/12/blogaid/index.php)site is [Blogaid](https://web.archive.org/web/20091125022454/http://www.blogaid.org.uk/) (because Andy Budd built it!) **Extra! Correct at 1st Jan** **Australia** Increased aid to $27 million and said it, the United States, Japan and India were considering setting up a group to coordinate help. Also sent five air force transport planes with supplies and medical specialists to Sumatra, and two 15-member emergency medical teams and 12 police to Phuket. **Austria** 1 million euros ($1.4 million) in aid to the countries hit. **Belgium** Military plane due to stop at Dubai to load most of its cargo -- UNICEF aid such as tents, vaccines. **Britain** Pledged 15 million pounds ($28.9 million); plastic sheets and tents worth 250,000 pounds to Sri Lanka; 370,000 pounds to EU aid offer, $100,000 to World Health Organisation. **Canada** C$4 million ($3.3 million); Blankets, water tablets, jerrycans and plastic sheeting sent to Sri Lanka. **China** 520 million yuan ($63 million), a sharp increase from its initial offer of 20 million yuan. **Czech Republic** Sent drinking water and medicine to Sri Lanka and Thailand; pledged 10 million crowns ($446,000). **Denmark** Increased aid pledge to 85 million Danish crowns ($15.6 million) after spending almost all initial 10 million crowns pledged. Aid to cover medical supplies, food, water, shelter, reconstruction. UNICEF flight from Copenhagen taking supplies to the area, including oral rehydration salts and medical supplies for 150,000 people for three months. **Egypt** Egyptian Red Crescent Society sending a plane with 500,000 Egyptian pounds ($81,000) worth of medicine and other aid as initial step. **European Union** Ready to release up to 30 million euros on top of 3 million euros already allocated to IFRC. **Finland** Pledged 2.5 million euros spread among World Food Program, UNICEF, WHO and IFRC. Local aid groups give 75,000 euros. Finnish Red Cross send field hospital with 15 staff to Sri Lanka and 31 aid workers to Thailand. **France** 15 million euros pledged to affected states in Southeast Asia. French authorities and aid groups decide to send 110 tons of aid. **Germany** Doubling emergency aid to 2 million euros. Air force medical evacuation plane to set off for Phuket, two more planes chartered to take disaster relief teams, medicine and consular officials there. Germany’s largest utility E.ON donates 1 million euros. **Greece** Sending C-130 transport aircraft carrying 25 rescue workers to Phuket on Thursday to help with rescue operations. Sent plane to Sri Lanka with five tons of food and clothes; offered 150,000 euros in aid. **Israel** Sent one medical team to Sri Lanka, one to Thailand. Military search and rescue team due in Sri Lanka, held up by coordination problems. **Italy** Will send 2 Hercules aircraft, one to Sri Lanka, one to Thailand. **Japan** Pledged $500 million in grant aid , sent three navy vessels to Thailand to help rescue survivors. Kuwait Pledged aid supplies worth $2 million, sent $100,000 immediate aid. **Netherlands** Contributing 2 million euros to Red Cross-Red Crescent appeal, plus participating in EU aid program. **Norway** Preliminary contribution of 50 million Norwegian crowns ($8.2 million) for emergency relief, including medicine, food, clean water and shelter. Poland Earmarked 1 million zlotys ($336,000) for Polish NGOs involved in relief. **Qatar** Sent urgent relief aid worth $10 million. Saudi Arabia Pledged $10 million aid package -- $5 million of food, tents and medicine to be distributed via Saudi Red Crescent, $5 million for international aid groups such as the Red Cross and U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. **Singapore** Contributing some $1.2 million to global effort, military medical teams and supplies ready to fly to Indonesia. **Slovakia** Sent plane with drinking water, tents and medicine to Sri Lanka; aid worth 6.6 million Slovak crowns ($231,660). **Slovenia** Donating 20 million tolars ($113,500) of aid through International Red Cross and Crescent. **South Korea** Raises aid to $2 million, may send military cargo plane to move aid workers and supplies. **Spain** Pledges $68 million. It also sent aircraft to Sri Lanka with first aid, sanitary equipment and 19 volunteers. **Sweden** Sent 2 communications specialists to help U.N. relief efforts in Sri Lanka. Sending tents and communication equipment to Maldives. Swedish Red Cross to contribute $750,000 to IFRC appeal. **Switzerland** Has allotted 2 million Swiss francs in aid on six teams to bring in drinking water, food and shelter supplies. **Taiwan** Pledged additional $5 million after giving $100,000 to Indonesia, $50,000 each to Thailand, India and Sri Lanka. Sends more than 100 relief workers. **United Arab Emirates** Pledged $2 million in aid; its Red Crescent society to provide food, blankets and clothing. **United States** Pledged $350 million. Pentagon ordered 12 vessels to region, though no decision taken on their role. **International Committee of the Red Cross** Cargo plane flying from Kenya to Sri Lanka carrying 105 tons of supplies, provide aid to 150,000 people in north and east. Trying to raise more than 50 million Swiss francs ($44 million). **International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent** Has dispensed initial one million Swiss franc grant for relief efforts and launched appeal for 7.5 million francs. **IMF** Intends to provide assistance, no specific pledges. **UNHCR** Initially distributing $380,000 of non-food relief items, including plastic sheeting, clothing, kitchen sets. **UNICEF** Delivered 50 water tanks to southern India, 45-tonne shipment of water purification tablets and water systems due to reach Sri Lanka on Thursday. WHO and UNICEF said they were providing four emergency kits to Indonesia to cover 40,000 people for three months, providing shelter, food and clothing. **U.N. World Food Program** Sends 168 tons of commodities to Sri Lanka, plus more than 4,000 tons of rice, wheat flour, lentils and sugar, enough to provide 500,000 people with emergency rations for two weeks. **U.N. Development Program** Provided $100,000 each to Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Thailand to help assess damage and coordinate emergency needs. **U.N. Population Fund** Earmarked up to $1 million and extra staff to help health needs of pregnant and nursing women * * * [Read full article](https://www.simoncox.com/short-articles/2004-12-31-earthquake-tsunami-donations/)