MERCY MALAYSIA ASSESSMENT TEAM FOR QUAKE-HIT CHILE

KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 (Bernama) -- Volunteer relief organisation Mercy
Malaysia will deploy a two-member team to Santiago, Chile, Saturday to conduct
on-the-ground assessment to determine the humanitarian needs within the region
affected by a recent earthquake.

Mercy Malaysia president Dr Ahmad Faizal Perdaus said the team, made up of
its Head of Relief Operations Dr Paul Mettler and Executive Council member Dr
Heng Aik Cheng, would ascertain the level of devastation, destroyed
infrastructure and the health needs of the quake-affected people.

"Our team will revert on how Mercy Malaysia can best assist the emergency
response on the ground there," he said in a statement Friday.

Dr Ahmad Faizal said that according to the United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), immediate priorities in Chile
continued to be on search and rescue, medical services, shelter, food and water,
transport, communications and the restoration of basic services.

"We have been constantly updated by our local contact in Chile and, with his
assistance, our team will be able to see how we can best help in the most
cost-effective manner," he added.
-- BERNAMA