Energy, mining firms donate money to tsunami victims

Following the tragedy that struck the people of the provinces of Nangroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra, several big oil and mining companies including state owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina, French firm Total E&P Indonesie, Inpex Corporation of Japan, and Canadian-based nickel miner Inco Limited have decided to donate a large sum of aid to the relief efforts in the provinces.

Pertamina said in a statement on Thursday that it had allocated about Rp 15 billion to the quake and tsunami victims. Meanwhile, Total E&P Indonesie together with Inpex Corporation, had decided to contribute US$1 million to the Indonesian Red Cross for immediate relief activities.

Inco Limited and its 61 percent-owned Indonesian subsidiary, PT International Nickel Indonesia Tbk, announced Thursday a joint donation of Rp 5 billion to the relief efforts by the Indonesian government.

Sunday's killer tsunamis were unleashed by a gigantic 9.0 magnitude tectonic shift 150 kilometres (93 miles) off Sumatra, rolling on across the Indian Ocean to wreak havoc in 11 countries. Death toll in Indonesia has reached 80,000, according to reports. (godang)