World Bank President Robert Zoellick has pledged financial assistance following the “huge human tragedy” suffered by the people of earthquake and tsunami-hit countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
He also said the Bank is assessing the situation in the countries and is working with the governments involved to raise funds, although he did not provide a figure for the assistance while he was speaking on Friday at the World Bank and the IMF’s annual meetings in Istanbul.
At least 169 people died in Tuesday’s earthquake and tsunami in Samoa. Another 31 were killed in the U.S territory of American Samoa and nine in Tonga. In Indonesia, the toll from Wednesday’s earthquake stood at 715.
