U.S. Troops Aiding Costa
Rica, Panama
Two U.S. military
disaster-relief teams
from Joint Task
Force-Bravo, based at
Soto Cano Air Base in
Honduras, have delivered
more than 278,000 pounds
of relief supplies to
victims in
flood-affected
communities in Costa
Rica and Panama.
The teams, composed of
68 U.S. military
personnel from the task
force, have been
supporting U.S. relief
efforts in both
countries since Nov. 26.
During the past week,
the teams have flown 95
missions, using eight
"Chinook" and
"Blackhawk" helicopters
to distribute aid and
evacuate 17 flood
victims in need of
immediate medical
attention.
U.S. Southern Command
directed the teams to
support ongoing U.S.
relief efforts in Costa
Rica and Panama after
authorities in both
countries declared a
state of emergency and
requested U.S.
assistance.
"We are here to help,
and our teams are
prepared to do whatever
we can -- be it through
continued airlift
support, search and
rescue missions or
medical assistance,"
said Army Col. Richard
Juergens, JTF-Bravo
commander. "We are
working hand in hand
with our Panamanian and
Costa Rican partners to
provide help to those
who need it most."
Near Bocas del Toro,
Panama, a region where
the task force's
helicopters have
delivered supplies, the
flooding has killed
three people, injured
seven, destroyed or
damaged more than 1,000
houses, and affected
more than 14,500
residents, according to
Panama's National System
for Civil Protection.
The U.S. Agency for
International
Development, the U.S.
Government's lead agency
for international
disaster assistance, is
directing U.S. relief
efforts in both
countries.
"We are glad that we
were able to contribute
the talents and the
resources of our task
force to help the
communities affected by
these terrible floods,"
said Adm. James
Stavridis, Commander of
U.S. Southern Command.
"We will continue to
support USAID and local
authorities until our
assistance is no longer
needed."
"USAID provided initial
funding for the local
procurement and
transport of
emergency-relief
commodities and deployed
disaster experts to the
affected areas," said Ky
Luu, director of USAID's
Office of U.S. Foreign
Disaster Assistance.
Luu explained that USAID
airlifted
emergency-relief
supplies from the
agency's Miami warehouse
to Panama and Costa Rica
using commercial assets.
The airlifted relief
commodities included
blankets, hygiene kits,
and water containers.
He added that USAID
disaster experts are
also working alongside
local authorities to
further assess flood
damage and determine if
additional U.S.
assistance is needed.
The task force
previously assisted
disaster relief efforts
in Panama in November
2006, providing
humanitarian assistance
to flooded communities
near the city of Colon
and in parts of northern
Panama. During that
four-day relief mission,
the task force evacuated
victims and airlifted
more than 130,000 pounds
of food, water,
mattresses and hygiene
supplies. |
