US Navy beefs up relief mission in Asia

The U.S. Navy is beefing up its relief mission to South and Southeast Asia by sending more ships equipped with water purification machines and evaporators capable of producing over a hundred thousand gallons of potable water per day.

The Navy disclosed that nearly 20 ships loaded with stocks of food, fresh water and other relief supplies headed to the region to spearhead international humanitarian efforts in tsunami-stricken countries. The ships include those coming from the Marianas and Korea.

“The ships are laden with enough equipment and supplies to normally support 15,000 Marines for one month. They are equipped with water purification machines and evaporators capable of producing over a hundred thousand gallons of potable water per day, and pumping it to shore from up to two miles away, road-making supplies, electrical power generators and a host of other emergency supplies and equipment,” said Patrick Dille from the Seventh Fleet’s public affairs.

A Navy environmental and preventive medicine unit from Pearl Harbor would join the relief mission. With some 43 medical professionals, the unit would administer a range of medical assistance, including disease assessment and treatment, water-quality and food-quality testing, mosquito and insect assessment, and chemical analysis, the Navy said.

The Navy vowed to further augment its humanitarian efforts after the Seventh Fleet served as the first to provide U.S. naval logistical support to tsunami victims, particularly those in Indonesia. Four ships from the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group have first gone to the region for relief operations.

The Navy said seven other ships and amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme would also join the mission.

“For the first time in this tragic situation, six SH-60F Seahawk helicopters from Lincoln are actively ferrying food and medical supplies from collection points in the Indonesian town of Bander Aceh to affected locations in Indonesia,” said Lt. Cmdr. John Daniels, USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group public affairs officer. “Additionally, these helicopters will take injured and otherwise affected people back to Bander Aceh where they will receive necessary medical and humanitarian attention.”

Aceh is Sumatra’s northernmost province and the area closest to the epicenter of the 9.0-strong earthquake that triggered tsunamis and several portions of Asia.

The total number of people killed in 11 nations was approaching 150,000 on Monday.

Military units from other countries such as Australia and Singapore also joined in humanitarian efforts for tsunami victims.