Jakarta - The Geneva-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is scaling up its relief operations in Indonesia.

     "This includes the launch of a series of emergency food distribution programs and the use of helicopters to shuttle food and shelter supplies to families living in isolated villages which have been cut off by landslides," the IFRC said on its official website on Monday.

     The relief will be distributed by local Red Cross volunteers. Over the past week, Indonesian Red Cross medical teams travelling by helicopter have been the first teams to identify and reach these communities.

     "The priority at the moment is to get the food to the people rather than have people leave their homes and come to towns in search of food," explained Wayne Ulrich, head of the IFRC`s emergency operation in Padang.

    The first of seven flights in a week-long series of emergency aid deliveries to the survivors of the West Sumatra earthquake took off from Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Oct. 12).

     The plane, packed with around 40 tonnes of tents, tarpaulins, blankets and shelter kits, landed in Padang an hour later and was offloaded by staff and volunteers from the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).

     The IFRC has also dispatched an early recovery team to Padang. Its role will be to launch a temporary shelter programme in the coming weeks that will involve distributions of tools and local building materials to people whose homes have been badly damaged.

     The IFRC is also launching a revised preliminary appeal for the Philippines. After further assessments of the damage caused by floods and landslides in Manila and northern Luzon, the appeal has been increased to more than 6.8 million Swiss francs (6.65 million US dollars/ 4.51 million euro) to help Philippines National Red Cross assist 200,000 people for a year.
   
-Antara, 14 October 2009-