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Indonesia: Earthquake - Dec 2016

Disaster description

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake has struck off Pidie Jaya district, province of Aceh in Sumatra Island, Indonesia, around 05:00h local time, on 7 December 2016, killing at least 90 people and damaging more than 200 houses. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake was centred 17 kilometres northeast of Pidie Jaya – around 121 km southeast of Banda Aceh – and had a depth of 10 km. Indonesia’s agency for meteorology climatology and geophysics (BMKG) indicated that there was no risk of a tsunami. (IFRC, 7 Dec 2016)

On 7 December, the Governor of Aceh set disaster emergency status to Emergency Response Disaster for 14 days (December 7 to 20, 2016)...The emergency response period is valid for three districts namely Pidie Jaya district, Pidie and Bireuen. (Govt. Indonesia/BMPB, 7 Dec 2016)

On 9 December, the National Disaster Management Authority of Indonesia (BNPB) reported that the death toll stood at 103 people, mostly from Pidie Jaya district. The agency reported 139 people severely injured and 616 individuals with minor injuries. At least 2,929 houses were heavily damaged, along with 49 mosques, 139 shop houses, two roads and one bridge. The total number of displaced stood at 12,017 people. (ASEAN, 9 Dec 2016)

On 12 December, the BNPB revised its death toll to 101 people, with 93 bodies positively identified. (ASEAN, 12 Dec 2016)

On 12 December, IFRC launched an Emergency Plan of Action with a total budget of CHF 941,847, aiming to assist 5,000 people. (IFRC, 12 Dec 2016)

On 15 December, the BNPB reported the death toll to be 103 people, with 96 bodies positively identified. The agency reported that a total of 780 individuals were injured and 86,417 people displaced. Damages to infrastructure included 9,157 houses, 358 shop houses, 104 mosques, 17 school facilities, and 83 bridges. (ASEAN, 15 Dec 2016)

As of 18 December, at least 103 people had died due to the earthquake, with 100 bodies positively identified, according to the BNPB. The agency reported that 19,130 houses were damaged and 387 people remained hospitalized in three affected districts. The emergency response period is slated to end by 20 December 2016. (ASEAN, 19 Dec 2016)

As of 20 December, the death toll had reached 104, while damages had been revised to include 18,752 houses in total. A total of 85,256 people were staying in evacuation locations in Pidie Jaya district. (ASEAN, 21 Dec 2016)

On 22 December, the European Union announced it would make available € 200 000 (IDR 2, 870,856,000) to help the Indonesian Red Cross Society provide emergency assistance to the most affected communities. The aid will target 5000 people in the heavily-hit northern municipalities of Bireuen, Pidie and Pidie Jaya. (ECHO, 22 Dec 2016)

As of 12 January 2017, the Indonesian Red Cross, or PMI, had started early recovery operations focused on health, shelter and livelihoods. This will include cash transfer programs and assistance through the distribution of clean water, improved water sources, cleaning and drilling of wells, mobile health services and psychosocial support. (PMI, 12 Jan 2017)

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