PUTRAJAYA: Mercy Malaysia has sent a two-member team to Santiago in Chile to assess the humanitarian needs of the earthquake-hit region.

Mercy Malaysia relief operations head Dr Paul Mettler and executive council member Dr Heng Aik Cheng flew from KL International Airport (KLIA) here yesterday and are expected to arrive in Santiago tomorrow evening.

“The assessment is important because we have to know the exact needs of the victims and it will also help us to prepare a list of necessities needed there,” Mettler told The Star at KLIA.

Doctors across borders: Dr Mettler (left) and Dr Heng at KLIA before departing for Chile yesterday. They are expected to arrive in Santiago Monday evening.

Dr Heng said it would be more economical to buy the necessities in Chile rather than incur the hefty transportation cost of flying the items there.

Both the men would spend two weeks in the affected region.

“We need to go there and see the real situation is, especially after the second quake on Friday measuring 6.6,” he said.

The team, he said, would start relaying information to Mercy Malaysia’s headquarters here almost immediately after arriving in Santiago.

Mercy Malaysia president Dr Ahmad Faizal Perdaus said in a statement that sending a team there was in response to the Chilean government’s call for international help.

Those wishing to donate to the Chile Relief Fund can make out cheques to Mercy Malaysia; or donate to the Mercy Malaysia Humanitarian Fund through Maybank (account name: MERCY HUMANITARIAN FUND; account number: 5621-7950-4126) or CIMB Bank (account name: MERCY Malaysia; account number: 1424-000-6561053).