Kosraeans Provide Disaster Relief For Chuuk

by Olivier Wortel

OKAT, Kosrae (Marianas Variety): July 25, 2002 - Three containers were shipped from Kosrae to Chuuk as part of an effort to help with food, clothing, water, fuel, and medical needs in the wake of tropical storm Chata'an.

A special disaster relief task force was quickly mobilized on the island and, as stated by Singkitchy George, chairman of the task force, "every corner" of the Kosraean citizenry came out to help.

The Red Cross chapter, PM&O, the churches, private businesses, municipal and state governments, senior citizens, Continental, and Micronesian Petroleum Corp. also donated time, effort and resources.

The containers and other goods were shipped on July 18 and 20 via space donated by Continental Air Micronesia, and aboard the Micronesian Sunrise, the oil tanker owned by MPC.

The Sunrise took 10 drums of kerosene, 10 drums of fuel, and approximately 400,000 gallons of pure spring water on Saturday, July 20.

Air Micronesia, aboard one of its Continental 747's, made two flights on July 18 and July 20, carrying over 3,000 pounds of agricultural goods, such as oranges, breadfruit, taro, and bananas, several truck loads of clothing, bags of flour, cases of canned meats, ramen bags and bowls, and more than 500 sacks of rice.