The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will provide 10,000 emergency tents for victims of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that ravaged the western part of Aceh on Dec. 26, the Indonesian Antara news agency quoted a UNHCR spokesman as saying Saturday.

UNHCR senior regional external media officer Mans Nyberg said in Banda Aceh that the tents were designed for use by small families consisting of two parents and three children and equipped with household goods.

"The tents are so light that one can be carried by only two people and erected only in about 30 minutes," he said.

UNHCR would focus its humanitarian activity on Aceh's west coast, he said adding that Banda Aceh, capital of Aceh province, had received adequate humanitarian assistance.

"We have already opened a branch office in Meulaboh and are setting up another one in Lamno subdistrict, Aceh Jaya district today," he said.

"We have sent a team to Calang subdistrict to explore the possibility of establishing a branch as well and will start an air bridge using helicopters from Medan and Banda Aceh to the west coast," he said.

Nyberg said UNHCR had been helping the Indonesian government to provide temporary shelters for tsunami victims in 24 locations in Aceh and is ready to reconstruct damaged houses or build new houses.
 
 (Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2005)