The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) called for urgent help in dealing with the thousands of Indonesians that have been made homeless by the flash floods and torrential rains which hit the east coast of Sumatra Island on 22 December 2006.
"Rivers overflowed and submerged more than 35,000 homes. There was massive damage to streets and bridges and some remote areas remain inaccessible because the roads were washed away or covered in soil," the head of the IFRC's delegation in Indonesia, Bob McKerrow said.
"We're hoping to raise international awareness of the plight of tens of thousands of people in flood-stricken areas, who have begun the New Year with just the clothes on their backs, and who desperately need access to clean water, housing and help in restoring their livelihoods," MaKerrow added.
Since the floods struck Indonesia, volunteers from the Indonesian Red Cross had been assisting in rescue and relief efforts - providing first aid, medicines, food, blankets, tents, tarpaulins, hurricane lamps, mosquito nets, stoves and hygiene items to people across the flood-ravaged provinces in Sumatra Island - Aceh, Riau and North Sumatra.
The floods and strong rains have altogether affected more than 600,000 Indonesians and caused overwhelming devastation in the region, particularly in areas which were still struggling to recover from the 2004 tsunami.
