The Malaysian Red Crescent team comprises of 5 members of Regional Disaster Response Team (RDRT) is ready to be deployed to Padang, Sumatera in response to a 7.9 earthquake recorded on Wednesday 30 September 2009 of the West coast of Indonesia, about 50 kilometers from Padang, the capital of West Sumatera.

The Malaysian Red Crescent is now in communicating with Indonesia Red Cross for further deployment. The RDRT members skilled in disaster management will respond and provide emergency relief to the victims of earthquake.

Meanwhile, one of the RDRT members was requested by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to be deployed to Vietnam in helping the Vietnam Red Cross due to the devastation from Typhoon Ketsana and torrential rains. Flooding has been the worst in 45 years in some provinces – Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Kon Tum and extensive damage is reported to rice paddies, sugar cane, vegetables and aquaculture.

5 members of RDRT team are also on standby to be deployed to the Philippines Typhoon Ketsana. Many of those affected have lost their houses to floods and water damage, and have been housed in evacuation centers.

Donors who would like to assist the victims of the typhoon and earthquake can send cheques or cash to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society as follows:

Secretary General
Malaysian Red Crescent Society
National Headquarters
32, Jalan Nipah off Jalan Ampang
55000 Kuala Lumpur

Cheques should be made out to the “MRCS International Relief Fund” and bank in into:

MAYBANK
Account Name : MRCS INTERNATIONAL RELIEF FUND
Account No : 5144 - 2210 – 2657

** Donations to the MRCS are entitled to tax exemption **

For further details, do please contact:

Suhana Mohamed Salleh
Manager Communications
Malaysian Red Crescent
32, Jalan Nipah off Jalan Ampang
55000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 603 – 4257 8122 ext 106/118
Mobile : 012 – 321 2937
Fax : 603 – 4257 9867 / 4253 3191
E-Mail : suhana@redcrescent.org.my