Indonesia: Earthquakes West Sumatra Province OCHA Situation Report No. 6

Ref: OCHA - 2007/0032

OCHA Situation Report No. 6
Indonesia - Earthquakes
West Sumatera Province
16 March 2007

This report is prepared by the HC/RC Office in Indonesia based on information provided by the National Coordinating Board for the Management of Disaster (BAKORNAS PB), the Provincial Coordinating Unit for the Management of Disaster (SATKORLAK PB) West Sumatera, NGOs, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and media reports.

I. SITUATION

1. Earthquake-affected communities remain to be afraid of aftershocks and therefore continue to live outside their houses, especially during the night. A number of people are sleeping in tents in their yards, where they can still protect their homes.

2. The Bureau of Health West Sumatera reported that a total of 31 Community Health posts (Puskesmas), and 17 Village Delivery posts (Polindes) have been damaged by recent earthquakes.

3. Oxfam reported that some areas of Empat Koto sub-district in Agam District are in need of tents, water supply, food assistance and health services. Guguk Malintang community in Padang Panjang District is in need of latrine assistance, health services and electricity, while Kayu Kubu village in Bukit Tinggi district require tents, food, water supply, latrines, temporary schools and electricity. Nagari Gunung Rajo Utara in Tanah Datar District is in need of food, water supply, latrines, trauma healing and electricity. In addition, 10 Koto sub-district communities require greater training and information on earthquakes.

4. The following are details of casualties and IDPs reported by BAKORNAS PB as of 14 March, 20:00 hours:

II. NATIONAL RESPONSES

1. The Department of Social Affairs delivered food (including 23,000 bottles of soy sauce, 57,600 cans of fish, 23,500 bottles of chili sauce and 5,900 bottles of cooking oil) as well as non-food items (such as 2,500 pieces of blankets, 2,500 sarongs, 1,000 mattresses, and assorted clothing) to the Bureau of Social Affairs at the province level.

2. Parliament members at the national level delivered IDR 50 million to Padang Panjang City, Solok District and Agam District.

3. The PMI team from Lampung Province was mobilized to assist humanitarian response for victims in Padang Laweh, Agam District. It established a command post and distributed family tents.

4. PT. Serunting Sriwijaya, Padang Branch, in cooperation with Trans-Pacific Carrier Co. Ltd South Korea, delivered 200 boxes of instant noodles to the local government. Other companies and members of the private sector, including Pertamina, PLN, PT. Telkom, PT Askrida, and PT Incasi Raya, delivered additional assistance to earthquake victims. Community groups such as Gerakan Ekonomi dan Budaya Minang and Ikatan Mahasiswa Minang of Riau Province, also contributed to the emergency response efforts.

III. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES

1. On 14 March, the Netherlands Ambassador visited the affected areas and allocated IDR 18.1 billion for quake victims. The money will be channelled through IOM and PMI, to support health services, transportation, non-food items delivery and emergency shelter provision to affected communities.

2. On 10 March, the Government of Malaysia delivered a total of 10.5 tonnes of assistances, including medicine, sanitation and hygiene items, 3,000 blankets, food supplies and items for infants. The assistance is valued at IDR 1.5 billion.

3. Muslim Aid distributed non-food items, including blankets, clothes, tarpaulins, rubber mats, and food items to Solok and Agam Districts among approximately 3,500 families. Muslim Aid also conducted assessments in Padang Pariaman, Payakumbuh, and other affected areas.

4. Mercy Corps, which is targeting the heavy hit area of Solok, provided water, water purification aids, non-food items and school tents. In cooperation with Save the Children, Mercy Corps set up 30 school tents. In cooperation with PDAM (the State Owned Water Company) the NGO distributed water purification aid and 30,000 liters of clean water. Mercy Corps also distributed 500 cleaning tool kits (this is an amendment to the previous Situation Report in which it was mistakenly attributed to CARE). In the next days, Mercy Corps will distribute 4,000 school kits and build 15 temporary latrines.

5. On 12 March, Yayasan Tanggul Bencana Indonesia (YTBI), in affiliation with ACT Forum Indonesia, distributed 450 food packages in Sungai Landai and Sungai Tanang Villages of Agam district.

6. MdM maintain a presence of a medical team in the earthquake-affected area. The team comprises of a doctor, a nurse and a psychologist and focuses on organising psycho-education sessions among the population of Batipuh and Sepuluh Koto sub-districts in Tanah Datar District.

7. ACF finalized its action plan for the affected area which will cover the water/sanitation (water trucking, emergency latrines) and shelter (shelter kits) sectors, targeting to approximately 3,500 families in the Bukit Tinggi area.

8. OCHA set up a google group to facilitate communications among different actors operating in the earthquake affected areas. Agencies that wish to be part of the group should send an e-mail to westsumatera.eq@gmail.com for their inclusion.

For detailed information please contact:

UN RC/HC Office Jakarta
Fax: +62 21 319 00 003
Mr. Fernando Hesse, Tel. + 62 21 314 1308, Mob. + 62 812 108 7276
Mindaraga Rahardja, Tel. +62 21 314 1308, Mob. +62 811 825 207

Desk Officers:
(NY) Mr. Wojtek Wilk, Tel. +1 917 367 9748
(GVA) Mr. Erik Kastlander, Tel. +41-22-917 1587

Press contact:
(NY) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Tel. +1-917 367 5126
(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Tel. +41-22-917 2653