International response to Hurricane Katrina

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Hurricane Katrina

2005 Atlantic hurricane season

Many countries and international organizations have offered the United States relief aid in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Initially, the United States had been reluctant during several days to accept donations and aid from foreign countries other than Canada and the United Kingdom. However, this policy was reversed, and as the reports of damage grew more grim, the United States has slowly started to accept the foreign aid. Currently, countries and organizations offering to send aid mentioned by the State Department are Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, People's Republic of China, Colombia, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, the European Union, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, International Energy Agency, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Iran, Iraq, Republic of Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, NATO, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Organization of American States, Oman, OPEC, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (Republic of China), Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, the United Nations, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Venezuela and the World Health Organization. Other countries not on this list have also offered aid, but the State Department mentioned that they (the State Department) had not been asked. Later, the US State Department said all offers were being examined. [1] [2]

According to the European Commission, one week after the disaster, on September 4th, 2005, the United States offically asked the European Union for emergency help, asking for couvertures, emergency medical kits, water and 500.000 food rations for victims. Help proposed by EU member states will be coordinated through their crisis center. A technical coordinator for the "European package" will be named. The British presidency of the EU will function as contact with the USA.

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Countries

Below is a list of countries offering aid. Some of these efforts have yet to be formally accepted by the U.S. government.

Afghanistan
Has pledged USD 100,000 to the hurricane victims.
Albania
Has pledged USD 300,000. [3]
Argentina
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Armenia
Has pledged USD 200,000 and made offers of help and assistance. [4]
Australia
AUD 10 million [5] and a team of 20 emergency response officers immediately. Australia is donating 8 million to American Red Cross. [6]
Austria
140 specialists of the AFDRU are still on stand-by. Their focus would be on providing clean water with portable water-treatment plants. Within the EU Emergency Assistance for Katrina, Austria will set up a communication network using IT and communication equipment for assistance/support, provide 10 sets petrol driven dirty water pumps, 500 pieces tarps/plastic sheeting and 300 camp beds. [7][8].
Azerbaijan
Has made offers of help and assistance, including tarps, camp beds. [9]
The Bahamas
Has pledged USD 50,000. [10]
Bahrain
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Bangladesh
Will donate humanitarian aid worth USD 1 million and said it would send 160 disaster management experts, including doctors, nurses, engineers and others. [11] [12]
Belarus
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Belgium
Has offered 3 Medical teams of 31 personnel, logistic team of 10 personnel, coordination team of 4 personnel, civil engineering team of 10 personnel, diving team, and also balloon-lamps, low and high capacity pumps and small generators. [13]
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Cambodia
The king donated USD 20,000 to match the USD 20,000 Cambodian government donation. [14]
Canada
Main article: Canadian response to Hurricane Katrina
September 5, 35 military divers were poised to depart by air Sunday from Halifax and Esquimalt, B.C., for the New Orleans area.September 4, On the request from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Canada send thousands of beds, blankets, surgical gloves and dressings and other medical supplies. On September 2 the Government of Canada announced it was sending three warships along with a Coast Guard vessel, and three Sea King helicopters to the area. Over 1,000 personnel are involved in the operation, including engineers and navy divers. The Canadian Heavy Urban Search and Rescue out of Vancouver has been in Louisiana since September 1, due to security they started their mission on Sept 3. Ontario Hydro, Hydro-Québec, and Manitoba Hydro, along with other electrical utilities, have crews set to go to the affected areas. On September 2 Air Canada participated along with U.S. member airlines of the Air Transport Association, in a voluntary airline industry initiative to support rescue and relief operations.
Chile
Has made offers of help and assistance.
People's Republic of China
On September 2 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [15] said that it will offer USD 5 million along with emergency supplies, including 1,000 tents, 600 generators, bed sheets, immediately for disaster relief. China will also send medical care and rescue workers if they are needed. [16] [17] This aid package consisting of 104 tons of supplies later arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas. [18] A chartered plane carrying the supplies has arrived on September 7. [19]
Colombia
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Cuba
Offering to send 1,586 doctors and 26 tons of medicine. The doctors await permission to enter the US [20].
Cyprus
Has offered USD 50,000. [21]
The Czech Republic
Has offered rescue teams, field hospital and pumps and water processing equipment. [22]
Denmark
Has offered Water purification units. [23]
Djibouti
Has pledged USD 50,000. [24]
Dominica
Has offered police to monitor hard-hit areas. [25]
Dominican Republic
Has offered rescue workers, doctors and nurses. [26]
Djibouti
Has offered USD 50,000. [27]
Ecuador
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Egypt
Has sent 2 C-130 planes loaded with blankets, medical equipment, and canned food.
El Salvador
Offered to send troops to help keep order in New Orleans.
Equatorial Guinea
Has pledged USD 500,000. [28]
Finland
Has sent Finn Rescue Force—the group consists of 30 firemen and three Red Cross logistics experts.. Additionally Finland has offered 300 tents, a water purification unit, sterile gloves, bed sheets, pillow covers, tarps and first aid kits. [29]
France
Main article: French response to Hurricane Katrina
Concrete help was refused by the USA at first, but on 2 September, Condoleezza Rice said that the US authorities would assess the situation and contact French authorities accordingly. On September 4, US authorities formally requested French assistance. France offered disaster relief stocks prepositioned in Martinique (600 tents, around 1000 beds, 60 electrogenic groups, 3 pumps, 3 water purification stations, 1000 folding jerricanes and other material). A 35-person team of the Sécurité civile (Civil defence) from Guadeloupe and Martinique is ready, and a 60-man "catastrophe intervention" aeromobile detachment could be ferried from mainland in a short time. The Ministry of Defence offers 2 planes already in the zone and 6 more from mainland France, and two ships of the French Navy (probably the BATRAL Francis Garnier or Champlain, and the frigate Ventôse) and a 20-person team of emergency medical specialists. The non-governmental organisation Télécoms sans frontières and the company Véolia environnement have offered aid in communications and water management, respectively. On September 7 [30], the Ministry for Foreign Affairs stated that an Airbus Beluga from Toulouse with 12,7 tonnes of supplies is flying to Mobile, after a brief stop in the UK to load more food. 2 Casa airplanes from Martinique have landed in Little Rock, ferrying tents, covers and 1000 rations of food for 24 hours. [31] [32] [33] [34]
Gabon
Has pledged USD 500,000. [35]
Georgia
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Germany
Two German Army Airbus planes landed in Florida with about 25 tonnes of food rations to be transported to the disaster area. Further planes were prepared. [36] Germany offered airlifting, vaccination, water purification, medical supplies including German air force hospital planes, emergency electrical power and pumping services. The aid is ready to go on German air force and chartered planes.[37]. A team of specialists from THW (German federal agency for technical relief) is planning technical measures and logistics in close contact with local authorities. A team of 89 flood fighting specialists and 5 medical personnel has been dispatched from Ramstein Airbase to Louisiana by the American Air Force. They will bring 15 high performance pumps (10 pumps with a capacity of 15,000 litres per minute and 5 pumps with a capacity of 5,000 litres per minute) and 28 vehicles [38]. On Saturday September 10 4:30 pm the THW started the first 15,000 litres pump at pumping-station No. 19. Three other 15,000 litres pumps will follow. The pumping out of New Orleans would have taken much more time if these pumps and the THW specialists had not been provided. [39].
The Minister-President of the federal state of Rheinland-Pfalz has addressed a letter to the commanders of the American forces stationed in his state offering financial support to those affected by the flooding.
Another German Air Force cargo plane carrying several thousand military rations (MRE) was denied entry into US airspace since, according to US authorities, they were not certified BSE-free. This was disputed by German authorities, pointing out that they were BSE-free according to NATO rules, that US soldiers would eat them regularly during joint operations (e.g. Afghanistan) and that these meals fully complied to UN rules. [40]
Greece
Two cruise ships to house those left homeless, a rescue team, and supplies.
Guatemala
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Guyana
Has made offers of help and assistance and is organizing a telethon to raise money for victims. [41]
Honduras
Has offered 135 flooding and sanitation experts. [42]
Hungary
Has pledged USD 5,000 and offered to send a Special Search and Rescue Team, and also five doctors. [43]
Iceland
Has offered USD 500,000. [44]
India
India has offered to contribute USD 5 million to the United States Red Cross for relief and rehabilitation of the victims. They have also offered to donate medicines and large water purification systems for use in households and small communities in the stricken areas, where potable water is a key concern. [45] [46] India has sent tarps, blankets and hygiene kits. [47]
Indonesia
Has offered to send 45 doctors and 155 other medical staffers and 10,000 blankets to help survivors. [48] [49]
Iran
Has offered to send humanitarian aid [50] and 20 million barrels of crude oil [51]
Iraq
Has pledged USD 1 million Red Cross via the Red Crescent. [52]
Republic of Ireland
Has offered to send 30 members of the Irish Defence Forces. The Irish army would supply thousands of ready meals, tentage, blankets, water purification services and medical aid, including first aid kits, crutches and wheelchairs. The group would include about ten experts in stress debriefing. Six of the troops would operate two water purification plants. The Irish Government also announced it is to provide initial funding of EUR 1.2 million for the victims. [53]
Israel
Has sent a medical team. Israel has offered field hospitals and hundreds of doctors, nurses, technicians and other experts in trauma, natural disasters and public health. [54] [55]
Italy
Italy has offered to send two Hercules C130 cargo jets fitted with emergency aids, including 300 Adult camp beds, 300 blankets, 600 sheets, 1 suction pump, 6 lifecrafts, 11.200 chlorine tablets, 5 units of large first aid kits, baby food formula pumps, tents and power generators. Italy has also offered to send some experts of the Protezione Civile to help coordinating relief efforts in the damaged area. [56]
Jamaica
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Japan
The Japanese Foreign Ministry has said that it would provide USD 200,000 to the American Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina. Japan will also identify needs in affected regions via the U.S. government and will provide up to USD 300,000 in emergency supplies such as tents, blankets and power generators if they receive requests from the U.S. for such assistance. [57]. One Japanese individual, Takashi Endo, donated USD 1 million from his personal funds to Katrina relief efforts. [58]
Jordan
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Kenya
Has offered USD 100,000. (Reports of "USD 400 million in petroleum products" aid from Kenya are erroneous.) [59] [60]
Korea, South
Has offered USD 30 million and dispatched a rescue team. [61][62]
Kosovo
Has pledged USD 490,000. [63]
Kuwait
Parliament is going to approve USD 500 million for aid in oil and other humanitarian aid.[64]
Latvia
Has offered a disaster relief team. [65]
Lithuania
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Luxembourg
Team of five persons, 1000 camp beds and 2000 blankets. [66]
Malaysia
Has pledged USD 1 million to American Red Cross. [67]
Maldives
Is sending USD 25,000 to American Red Cross. [68]
Mauritania
Has promised USD 200,000 to American Red Cross. [69]
Malta
Has made offers of help and assistance. [70]
Mexico
Main article: Mexican response to Hurricane Katrina
Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas received almost 196 Mexican troops, 14 truckloads of water, a mobile surgical unit, 45 military vehicles, 3 tons of purified water, and more than 250 tons of food, bottled water, canned food, disposable diapers and medical supplies. The Mexican Government has sent USD 1 million through the Mexican Red Cross which collected an additional million, as well as 200 tons of food delivered in five airplanes from the Mexican Air Force by another Mexican Government body. The Mexican Navy has sent two ships, 385 troopers, eight all-terrain vehicles, seven amphibious vehicles, two tankers, two helicopters, radio communication equipment, medical personnel and 296 tons of food as well. The state of Jalisco also sent four experts in disaster, while the Federal government offer to sent expert teams in epidemiology and to cover the costs of returning any Mexican national back to Mexico.
Mongolia
Has pledged USD 50,000. [71]
Nepal
Has pledged USD 25,000. [72]
The Netherlands
Main article: Dutch response to Hurricane Katrina
Royal Netherlands Navy Frigate Hr.Ms. Van Amstel has arrived from the Netherlands Antilles. The frigate is filled with supplies and has helicopters on board that can be used in rescue actions. Further, The Netherlands have sent experts on the subject of water containment and dikes, identification teams and pumps to deliver clean drinking water, F-16s and divers from the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps.
New Zealand
Has pledged USD 2 million though the Red Cross. This contribution is in addition to the offers the government has already made to send an Urban Search and Rescue Team, a Disaster Victim Identification team or post disaster recovery personnel. [73] [74]
Nicaragua
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Nigeria
Has pledged USD 1 million to hurricane disaster relief.
Norway
Has made offers of help and assistance. An amount of NOK 10 million will be given through the Norwegian Red Cross and the UN. In addition, Norway has offered divers and medicines.
Oman
Has pledged USD 15 million. [75]
Pakistan
On September 4 Pakistan offered to send a team of doctors and paramedics to support the relief agencies. Pakistan has also pledged USD 1 million through the Red Cross. [76]
Palau
Has pledged USD 50,000. [77]
Papua New Guinea
Has promised USD 10,000 to American Red Cross. [78]
Paraguay
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Peru
Has offered to send 80-100 doctors to help survivors.
The Philippines
Has offered to send a 25-member team of aid workers. [79] The Philippines Red Cross is donating USD 25,000. [80]
Poland
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Portugal
Has offered tents, mattresses, blankets, hygiene kits. Portugal is lending 2 percent of its strategic oil reserve, equivalent to 500,000 barrels of oil. [81]
Qatar
Has pledged USD 100 million to the victims. [82] [83]
Romania
Has offered 2 Teams of medical experts. [84]
Russia
Main article: Russian response to Hurricane Katrina
One of the first countries to offer assistance. Up to four jets were placed on standby at the airport Ramenskoe near Moscow as early as August 30, including heavy Ilyushin Il-76-TDs with special evacuation equipment, medical equipment, a water-cleansing system, a rescue helicopter BK-117 and two special cars; and a passenger IL-62, which would bring 10 coordinators and 50 rescuers, as well as 6 tons of drinking water. On September 6 the Bush administration gave its approval [85]. The jets are scheduled to land at Little Rock, Arkansas [86].
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Refining, a Houston-based subsidiary of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, will donate USD 5 million to the American Red Cross, as well as $250,000 from AGFUND. [87] [88]
Singapore
Main article: Singaporean response to Hurricane Katrina
Three Singaporean CH-47 Chinook helicopters and thirty-eight RSAF personnel from a training detachment based in Grand Prairie, Texas have been assisting in relief operations since 1 September. They had so far ferried about 700 evacuees and hauled tons of supplies in 39 sorties on 4 September. One more CH-47 Chinook helicopter is on the way to aid in relief efforts. [89] [90]
Slovakia
Has promised blankets, beds, first aid kits. [91]
Slovenia
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Spain
Spain is sending 2.1 million barrels of crude oil from its strategic reserves (the 1.75% of the Spanish reserves) for a 30 days period [92]. On September 7 two Hercules cargo jets took off with 15 tonnes of food rations, electrical generators and batteries, medical equipment and other humanitarian assistance collected by the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI). A second envoy is expected to be send in the next days. [93]
Sri Lanka
USD 25,000 for the victims of the hurricane. [94]
Sweden
Main article: Swedish response to Hurricane Katrina
Sweden offered to send medical and technical aid, and has been on standby since September 2 to send a Hercules cargo jet filled with three complete GSM systems, first aid kits, blankets, Ready-to-eat meals, generators, 2 heavy water purification plants, as well as water sanitation experts. On September 4 the U.S. State Department declined the aid, saying it was currently unable to accept foreign aid packages. The Swedish Rescue Services Agency has stated that they have the aircraft ready for immediate deployment upon receiving a green light from the Bush Administration. On September 12 the Hercules plane left the Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport, carrying a cargo of three Ericsson GSM network systems. A team of technical consultants to help with the aid package was also provided.

[95] [96]

Switzerland
Switzerland offered specialised personnel and material to the USA and the World Health Organisation (WHO). In accordance with US requirements, 50 tonnes of rescue equipment are ready to be sent, along with two logisticians of the Direction du développement et de la coopération (DDC, "Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation") to help coordinate distributions. Four physicians and two water specialists were also put to the disposal of the WHO. An answer from the USA was expected for the 6th in the evening. [97]
Taiwan (Republic of China)
Has pledged more than USD 3 million to the relief effort, plus supplies. [98] [99]
Thailand
Has sent at least 60 doctors and nurses along with rice. [100]
Tunisia
Has sent two C-130s with relief supplies.
Turkey
Has promised USD 2.5 million in cash and aid. [101]
Uganda
Has offered USD 200,000. [102]
United Arab Emirates
Has pledged USD 100 million. [103]
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has dispatched 500,000 ration packs worth EUR 3 million, to the region. Has also offered medical experts, Urban Search and Rescue equipment, Marine engineers and high-volume pumps, skilled personnel including engineers who could support recovery efforts for installations and systems, technicians, staff trained in disaster management and emergency response activities. It has also pledged to release an extra 2.2 million barrels of oil. [104] [105]
Venezuela
Venezuela has offered to send fuel and food to portions of the United States which some aid may not be able to reach. State-owned Petróleos de Venezuela, the parent company of Citgo Petroleum Corporation, has also pledged a USD 2 million donation for hurricane aid. [106] Two mobile hospital units were also offered [107] but were declined, according to Jesse Jackson in a BBC News 24 interview.
Vietnam
Has pledged USD 100,000. [108]
Yemen
Has promised USD 100,000 through the Red Cross. [109]
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International organizations

Below is a list of international governmental organizations offering aid to the people of the United States.

European Union
Any help and assistance that is requested, has also agreed to provide oil reserves to the U.S.[110]. As of September 4, the U.S. has only accepted first aid kits, blankets, water trucks, and 500,000 Ready-to-eat meals.[111]
Habitat for Humanity International
Has pledged to help Habitat families and other low-income families in the affected areas recover and rebuild.[112][113]
International Energy Agency
The Paris-based International Energy Agency has agreed to make 60 million barrels of product available "to help the United States weather the economic problems caused by Hurricane Katrina. The product, crude oil or gasoline, will go to the marketplace over the next month at the rate of 2 million barrels per day."[114]
IFRC (Red Cross and Red Crescent)
Has sent more than 80 disaster experts. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is launching the largest mobilisation of resources for a single natural disaster, including the recruitment of 1,900 staff and volunteers. All available resources are moving to safe areas so relief efforts can begin immediately after the storm passes. More than 250 emergency response vehicles (ERVs) and countless other Red Cross resources are en route or on the scene to provide hot meals, snacks, bottled water and distribute other much-needed relief supplies. The Red Cross is opening shelters in support of the massive evacuations in all affected states. As of Monday, 29 August, some 230 Red Cross shelters had been opened in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, housing over 40,000 people. In coordination with the Southern Baptists, preparations have been made to provide more than 500,000 hot meals each day.[115]
International Medical Corps
Has made offers of help and assistance.[116]
NATO
Has made offers of help and assistance. As of September 4, NATO has provided humanitarian aid, such as food, medical supplies, and wheelchairs. NATO is prepared to send troops, but the U.S. government has not issued a request for personnel. [117]
OPEC
Has made offers of help and assistance.
Organization of American States
Has donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross. [118]
United Nations
The United Nations said it was ready to send supply water storage tanks, water purification tablets, high-energy biscuits, generators, planes, tents and other emergency supplies along with experienced staff members. The UN has set up an inter-agency task force comprised of representatives from the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' office and the World Food Program, chaired by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (COHA) to determine resources available at the moment to assist U.S. relief efforts in anticipation of a possible request from the U.S. government.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Has, as an independent agency, made offers of help and assistance.
World Health Organization
Has, as an independent agency, made offers of help and assistance.
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See also

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External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_response_to_Hurricane_Katrina"
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