07 January 2005
Operation Sumatra Assist

At the request of the Indonesian Government, Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and resources were committed to provide humanitarian assistance in Sumatra following the earthquakes and tsunami which devastated large areas of the northwestern coast of the island, particularly Aceh Province, on Boxing Day 2004.

ADF personnel began working in support of Indonesian disaster relief authorities from a forward base in Medan, capital of North Sumatra Province, on 28 December 2004.

The ADF assistance is part of the Australian Government's national tsunami relief effort involving the ADF, DFAT (Ausaid), and Emergency Management Australia.

Water, tentage, medical supplies, blankets and other emergency provisions have been provided.

20050104ran8100122_057 Sub-Lieutenant (SBLT) Melissa Lindsay on the port bridge wing of HMAS Kanimbla on Operation Sumatra Assist. SBLT Lindsay joined the Navy in 2000 from Wangaratta in Victoria, and has been posted to HMAS Kanimbla since March 2004, where she earned her Bridge Watchkeeping certificate in August 2004. SBLT Lindsay is 23 years old and has her parents and a brother living in Wangaratta and has a 25 year old brother in the Army. (Date taken: 4 January 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	JPAU06JAN05BM009 People in Banda Aceh queue for fresh water produced and issued by Australian Army personnel. The water purification plant operated by ADF personnel in Banda Aceh is the only source of potable water in the city. (Date taken: 6 January 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
JPAU06JAN05BM014 Private Dwayne Sutton collects a sample of town water. The ADF have supplied a water purification proccessing plant to the aid effort for the people of Banda Aceh. Other than bottled water the only potable water available in the city is supplied by the water purifier manned by engineers and preventative health personnel from Darwin. (Date taken: 6 January 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	JPAU06JAN05BM032 People in Banda Aceh queue for fresh water produced and issued by Australian Army personnel. The water purification plant operated by ADF personnel in Banda Aceh is the only source of potable water in the city. (Date taken: 6 January 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res