UN announces $15 million aid for Indonesia
Geneva, Oct 3: The UN Central Emergency Response Fund has announced that it would allocate $15 million to help the victims, especially women and girls, of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that rocked Indonesia's Sulawesi island last week.
The twin disasters claimed over 1,400 lives, caused widespread damage by destroying homes, buildings and infrastructure. According to Indonesian officials, an estimated 2.4 million people were affected by the tragedy.
The number of dead was expected to rise amid ongoing rescue operations.
UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said that the funds would meet the most urgent needs of women and girls because "we know from experience round the world (they) are often particularly vulnerable in circumstances like this", Efe news reported.
The earthquake and tsunami also severely damaged primary health care centres and hospitals.
Lowcock added that the UN sent its staff to the devastated areas to help the government identify priorities in logistics, potable water supply, basic sanitation, medical care, coordination and management of camps for the displaced.
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Commuters bear brunt as labour union protest halts traffic at Delhi-Noida border
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New Delhi (PTI): Commuters faced a harrowing morning on Monday as a massive traffic jam brought vehicular movement to a near standstill at the Delhi-Noida border following a protest by a labour union demanding a salary hike.
The protest, which began early in the day, led to congestion on key arterial roads connecting Delhi and Noida, including NH 9, severely disrupting the office rush hour.
Long queues of vehicles were seen stretching for several kilometres, with many commuters stranded for hours.
A police source said that members of the labour union from Uttar Pradesh gathered near the border area were staging a demonstration, blocking portions of the road and slowing down traffic movement.
"Personnel from the Delhi Police and Noida Police were deployed to manage the situation and divert traffic, but the heavy volume of vehicles compounded the chaos," the source said.
Frustrated commuters took to social media platform X, urging authorities to intervene and clear the roads. Many complained of being stuck in unmoving traffic despite starting early to avoid peak-hour congestion.
An employee of a private company said she left her home at around 7:30 am but remained stuck in traffic for over an hour without any significant movement.
"There is no movement at all. People are getting down from vehicles and trying to figure out what's happening ahead," she said.
Authorities said efforts were underway to clear the congestion and restore smooth traffic flow as soon as possible.
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