Upon the occurrence of the worst natural crisis in contemporary history, represented in the violent earthquake which hit the coasts of a number of Asian countries on 26 December 2004 and the extensive devastation it left behind, KRCS rushed to dispatch Kuwaiti rescue teams loaded with humanitarian aids to the afflicted countries, despite the great difficulties represented in the concealment of the features of the roads, discontinuation of transport means, bad environmental conditions and the risks of spread of epidemics and diseases as a result of the decomposition of bodies and environmental pollution.
This torrent which swept coastal cities and villages in more than ten countries, left behind approximately 160 thousand lost lives and tens of thousands of injured and displaced persons. In the aftermath of the crisis, Kuwait announced its donation by two million dollars, then ten million dollars after the clarification of the magnitude of the tragedy, the increasing number of the victims and magnitude of the catastrophic devastation which began to be revealed.
The government mandated KRCS to secure delivery of aids, relief materials and medicines to those entitled to them with the required speed.
Popular campaigns were launched from Kuwait to provide assistance to the afflicted countries, as an expression of solidarity with them. Further, Kuwait announced the rescheduling of debts of the afflicted countries, which amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars.
At that time, the Government of Kuwait said that in appreciation of the magnitude of the catastrophe and embodying the feelings of Kuwaitis towards those afflicted in these countries, as well as in order to mitigate their suffering, it has decided to increase the donation of the State of Kuwait, and hence the total value of the donation of the Government of the State of Kuwait amounted to one hundred million US dollars.
It added that 30 million of the donation by the Government of the State of Kuwait are cash donations. Meanwhile, Kuwait Fund for Economic Development was mandated with establishing infrastructure projects in the affected countries worth 70 million US Dollars.
The stand of Kuwait next to those afflicted by the tsunami is an example which reiterates the extent of official and popular compassion with the victims, in words and in deeds, which conveyed a message that Kuwait, under its wise leadership, is the initiator of leading stands and that its citizens are accustomed to the value of goodness and integration and will continue this approach which they inherited from the fathers and grandfathers
