11 April 2005

Kanimbla restores water supply of earthquake-damaged town

The Royal Australian Navy amphibious transport ship, HMAS Kanimbla, continues its deployment under Operation Sumatra Assist Phase II.

It is on station off the earthquake-affected island of Nias in support of Indonesian Government-led humanitarian relief operations.

The stokers of HMAS Kanimbla, who are the ships marine engineers, worked for three days to restore the water supply of the earthquake-damaged town of Lahewa, on Indonesia's Nias island.

The 29 March quake damaged the local dam water pump and cut the towns water pipes, severing the supply of drinking water.

This was more familiar work than it might seem to Kanimbla's stokers: their duties aboard ship include the supply of fresh water.

20050410ran8107930_009 Captain Linda Rae from the Australian Army 2 Health Support Battalion enjoys meeting children in the earthquake-damaged town of Lahewa, on Nias island. Captain Rae and her colleagues from medical units based on HMAS Kanimbla are running daily clinics ashore for earthquake victims. (Date taken: 10 April 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20050410ran8107930_020 28-year-old Able Seaman Jake Van Lloy of Torquay, Victoria, serves on HMAS Kanimbla where he is one of a group of sailors nicknamed the "Kindergarten Cops". Their special task ashore is to look after children of the earthquake-damaged town of Lahewa, on Nias island, to keep them entertained while Kanimbla's medics run a clinic attending to the injured. (Date taken: 10 April 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20050410ran8107930_038 A shore party of sailors from HMAS Kanimbla nicknamed the "Kindergarten Cops" plays soccer with children of the earthquake-damaged town of Lahewa, on Nias island, to keep them entertained while Kanimbla's medics run a clinic attending to the injured. (Date taken: 10 April 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20050410ran8107930_045 A shore party of sailors from HMAS Kanimbla nicknamed the "Kindergarten Cops" plays soccer with children of the earthquake-damaged town of Lahewa, on Nias island, to keep them entertained while Kanimbla's medics run a clinic attending to the injured. (Date taken: 10 April 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20050410ran8107930_059 A shore party of sailors from HMAS Kanimbla nicknamed the "Kindergarten Cops" plays soccer with children of the earthquake-damaged town of Lahewa, on Nias island, to keep them entertained while Kanimbla's medics run a clinic attending to the injured. (Date taken: 10 April 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20050410ran8107930_076 After three days work by the stokers, (the marine engineers), of HMAS Kanimbla, water flows again for happy residents of the earthquake-damaged town of Lahewa, on Indonesia's Nias island. The 29 March 2005 quake damaged the local dam water pump and cut the town's water pipes, severing the supply of drinking water. (Date taken: 10 April 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res