5 October 2009, Kuala Lumpur - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is now seeking 18 million Swiss francs as it responds simultaneously to four major emergencies across Asia.

Two new preliminary emergency appeals launched today will provide essential support to relief and recovery operations in Indonesia and Samoa, in addition to two appeals launched Friday for Philippines and Viet Nam.

In Indonesia, 6.8 million Swiss francs are needed to help 25,000 people as they recover from last week's two devastating 7.6 and 6.8 magnitude earthquakes in West Sumatra. Through operations carried out in partnership with the Indonesia Red Cross (PMI), the appeal will support the immediate distribution of relief items, temporary shelter, water and sanitation interventions, health and medical provisions and logistics support over a period of six months. Nearly 800,000 people are believed to have been affected by these disasters.

In Samoa, as the Samoa Red Cross continues to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the 8.3 magnitude earthquake and the subsequent tsunami, the IFRC is appealing for 2.9 million Swiss francs to provide emergency relief, health, water and sanitation, shelter, psychosocial support, restoring family links, livelihoods, disaster risk reduction and capacity building. The relief and recovery operation in Samoa will support 15,000 of the most vulnerable people and will be carried out over an 18-month timeframe.

As announced on 3 October, in the Philippines, as the Philippines National Red Cross responds to Typhoon Ketsana and prepares for Typhoon Parma, 3.08 million Swiss francs (2.98 million US dollars/2.5 million euro) are needed to help 100,000 people over the next nine months.

In Viet Nam, a preliminary emergency appeal seeks 4.9 million Swiss francs (4.75 million US dollars/3.25 million euro) to provide food and relief items for distribution, water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, shelter for displaced populations and capacity building for the Viet Nam Red Cross and its volunteers. Red Cross Red Crescent relief and recovery efforts aim to support 210,000 people over the next 12 months.

"Across these four disasters in Asia and Pacific, trained volunteers have played a vital role in saving lives, but international assistance is needed to support their actions to continue carrying out relief and recovery," said Michael Annear, disaster management coordinator for the IFRC in Asia and Pacific. "Donations to these appeals will help to meet immediate needs of vulnerable people and will help to further strengthen National Societies in the face of future disasters."

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Lasse Norgaard, communications delegate, Bangkok Tel: +66 89 635 7177 Patrick Fuller, communications delegate, Padang Tel: ¬¬+60 12 230 8451 Jason Smith, communications manager, Kuala Lumpur Tel: +60 12 387 0829 Paul Conneally, media manager, Geneva Tel: +41 79 308 9809