Jakarta,     - One week after the Padang earthquake, the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) continues to bring  medical supplies, fresh drinking water and tonnes of humanitarian aid into the region.

     The ADF teams which departed RAAF bases in Darwin, Richmond and Amberley soon after the earthquake, have quickly established themselves in the city of Padang and outlying areas destroyed in the disaster, assessing medical and engineering needs.

     An Australian Embassy media release said on Saturday that RAAF C-130 Hercules aircraft, flying missions in and out of Padang from Jakarta, have ferried 250 tonnes of equipment and emergency aid from the United States, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia so far.

     With the cooperation of AusAID and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the ADF had managed a graduated and measured response to the needs of the earthquake victims.

     The initial commander of the Joint Task Force (CJTF) 629 ,  Lieutenant Colonel Neil Sweeney, says a big change is being made by the advance team.

     "The ability of our people to get on the ground quickly and provide informed advice about what the people need is a credit to their professionalism,"  Sweeney said.

     "Because of their initial work, we have been able to deploy the most appropriate resources to the areas that need them the most," he added.

    Initial assessments indicated that fresh drinking water was the number one priority for the people of Padang as the local water treatment plant, supplying sixty percent of the city's water, had been damaged in the earthquake.

    The Darwin-based 1st Combat Engineer Regiment, using an ADF water purification plant, is now producing about 10,000 litres an hour of fresh water a day after arriving.

    Tasting the water during a visit to the site, Padang  Deputy Mayor  Mehyeldi Ansarullah thanked the Australians for helping the people of Padang.

     "The water tastes good. Thank you to all the Australians, it is very nice of you to help us," Ansarhullah said.

     "Thank you for solving our water problem, I have never seen water from the sea being made into drinkable water ," he added.

     Further north of the city, 1 Health Support Battalion (1HSB) from Sydney has established a Primary Health Care Team (PHCT) in the village of Sie Geringging.

    With a staff of just 22 doctors, nurses and medics, the PHCT has been providing basic medical care similar to that of an Australian doctor's clinic, to help people in the outer regions where primary health care has been limited.

    Commanding officer 1HSB Lt Col Lachlan Sinclair says they are managing the general health issues facing the local population.

    "With so many people's homes destroyed, we are looking at treating disease and illness that is associated with living outside in community groups,"  Sinclair said.

     With local authorities shifting focus from rescue to recovery, the ADF continues to provide essential water and health services as well as structural engineering assessments.

    Army and Air Force engineers from Darwin are currently inspecting government buildings to assess the levels of structural damage as well as determining what work can be done.

     Once established, the engineers will focus recovery work on clearing irrigation channels, repairing a damaged bridge, clearing rubble and debris from two schools.

     The team will also construct a semi-permanent medical centre to be used by local medical staff at Sie Geringging.

     HMAS Kanimbla is planned to depart Darwin on the weekend, bringing its significant medical facilities, two embarked Sea Kings, a further Army engineers and various landing craft to assist getting equipment ashore.
   
-Antara, 11 October 2009-