World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn today issued the
following statement on the tragic events in Asia over the
weekend:
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On Sunday morning, December 26, Indonesia was struck by a massive
earthquake, with its epicenter off the west coast of northern
Sumatra. The quake and its aftershocks were felt in Bangladesh,
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. It
triggered tsunamis in the Indian Ocean which struck India,
Malaysia, the Maldives, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.
We are only beginning to grasp the magnitude of the disaster in
terms of loss of life, material damage and economic impact across
the region. It is clear, however, that it will take some time
before the full impact of this terrible crisis is known.
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Senior management from the World Bank's East Asia/Pacific and South
Asia teams are in direct contact with the governments in the
countries affected. The teams are assessing the feasibility of
reallocating resources quickly within portfolios, or the provision
of emergency credits, to respond to immediate humanitarian needs in
the countries hit by this disaster. The crisis team is meeting
daily. All Bank Group offices and facilities in the affected
countries were undamaged, and will remain the focal point of our
efforts to respond to the humanitarian crisis that may follow this
natural disaster.
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I have written to the leaders of the affected countries to extend,
on behalf of the World Bank Group family, our deepest condolences
to those who have suffered as a consequence of this tragedy.?
As the Bank has considerable experience in reconstruction after
natural disasters, I have also offered them our assistance working
closely with the United Nations and our major partners.
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While we are mindful of the terrible cost in human lives from this
disaster, we are also concerned for the safety of our staff and
their families. We have been working throughout the weekend to
account for those known to have been in the worst-affected areas at
the time of the disaster.? Though communication to some areas
is difficult, the Bank's security team is reasonably sure that all
our staff are now safe. We do know, however, that several staff
have lost close relatives, and our thoughts and prayers are with
them.
During this time of the year, which should be a festive and
joyous season, our thoughts and prayers are with all those whose
lives have been affected by this tragedy.
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Jim Wolfensohn
(China.org.cn December 29, 2004)