…”Wandering Cow” Hampers Relief

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A stray cow wandered on to the runway at Banda Aceh, in Sumatra, and was hit by a landing cargo plane. The landing gear collapsed and the airport, the only one of any size in the area, was closed for seven hours before the plane could be moved. And in India, aftershocks from the earthquake that triggered the waves caused cracks in the runway at Carnic Airport, shutting it down for use by large airplanes. It’s not just the big iron that’s been having a problem getting through, however. In Meulaboh, in Sumatra’s Aceh Province, workers finally hacked out a rough airstrip enabling Twin Otters to bring in desperately needed supplies. Meulaboh is a fishing village near the epicenter of the quake. It’s estimated that 40,000 people were killed there. “The casualty rates in Meulaboh defy imagination,” said Aitor Lacomba, Indonesian director of the aid group International Rescue Committee. “Tens of thousands need immediate assistance there.” See the Stress Points section of AVweb‘s home page for some simple ways you can contribute and register your skills as a pilot with the Center For International Disaster Information.

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