252 Lafarge employees still missing

Lafarge is still reporting that 252 of its 625 employees working at its cement plant in Aceh, Indonesia are still missing after the tsunami swept through the facility on December 26, 2004. 362 others have been found safe and well, 8 are injured, 3 have been confirmed dead. The company has provided emergency aid to employees and their families, and has rented temporary accommodations 600km away to house nearly 450 employees and family members. The local Lafarge team is actively looking for solutions and has now localized a new accommodation center in Aceh with capacity for roughly 500 people.

Bernard Kasriel, Chief Executive Officer of Lafarge, made a visit to Medan and the Aceh cement plant site last week as a demonstration of the Group’s support. On his return, he expressed the state of utter distress and desolation, and said how highly impressed he was by the devotion and exceptional work of the local team.