A JCB backhoe loader clearing debris in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

JCB chairman Sir Anthony Bamford has agreed to increase the company's assistance to tsunami-hit Asia to USD2 million of equipment.

On December 27, Bamford offered USD1 million of JCB equipment to assist in the clear-up efforts (Forkliftaction.com News #191).

To date, JCB has donated 19 JCB diggers to affected areas. Five backhoe loaders are working in Tamil Nadu, southern India; five machines are clearing debris in the Andoman and Nicobar Islands, and five more are destined for Sri Lanka.

JCB has donated three machines to Indonesia; two have just been shipped to Meulaboh, West Sumatra, in Aceh province.

A team from JCB's Indonesian dealer, Tractor Nusantara, will spend a month training Indonesian marines to operate and maintain the machines.

JCB has also donated a Teletruk forklift truck to Oxfam's main warehouse in Bicester, UK, to help load crates of sanitisation equipment for shipment to affected areas.

Bamford said it was "imperative" that clear-up operations were completed quickly to allow people to rebuild their lives.

"The response from the public in wanting us to send more JCB machines has been remarkable and, from feedback from the affected areas, it is clear that more equipment is needed and I'm happy to pledge a total of USD2 million of machines to help," he said.