Indonesia: Floods in Aceh - OCHA Situation Report No. 5

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2007/0002

OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Floods in Aceh, Indonesia

This situation report is based on information received from the RC/HC Office in Jakarta, Indonesia and the Office of the UN Recovery Coordinator in Aceh and Nias (UNORC).

General Situation

1. The United Nations is responding to the request by the Government of Indonesia to coordinate emergency relief to the North, East and Central Aceh regions that have been affected by widespread floods since 22 December 2006. The significantly affected districts are Aceh Tamiang, Aceh Timur, Gayo Lues, Bener Meriah, and Aceh Utara while Pidie, Lhokseumawe, Aceh Tengah and Langsa were affected in some areas to a lesser extent. A large number of IDPs have started returning home as the water levels have receded. The government and the relief community are continuing providing relief for the affected population as their harvest for the current crop season has been destroyed, the food and seed stocks have been inundated and damaged, and the significant clearing efforts to remove mud and debris left by the floods have just started to restore the infrastructure and shelters.

National Response

2. BAKORNAS informed that a Puma helicopter delivered food aid to the villages in Tamiang (Batu Bedulang, Baleng Katung, Bengkelong, Blang Ara, Babo, A. Sari, and Betong) on 2 January.

3. TNI Battalion in Aceh Tamiang has made 7 trucks and TNI personnel available to help with transportation and aid distribution.

4. On 31 December, TNI airlifted from Blang Keujeuren, Bener Meriah: to Pasir Putih (1.2MT), Pinding (1.3MT), Samar Kilang (2 sorties of 1.4MT each), and Gunung Sayang (900kg). As of 2 January. One TNI helicopter is still based in Blang Keujeren, Gayo Lues, under the command of the TNI. TNI plans to distribute some relief items that were already stock piled in Blang Keujeuren for the next couple of days. Fuel has been secured from Medan.

5. On 1 January, the TNI aircraft conducted 2 sorties to Aceh Tamiang from Lhokseumawe, each with 1MT of food aid. One went to Bedulang, and the other to Bengkelong. On the same day, the TNI aircraft undertook 2 sorties to Lesten, Pending, and Ekan in Gayo Lues, with 3,450kg of food aid.

6. As of noon on 2 January, 300 kg of food aid was to leave for Aceh Tamiang from Lhokseumawe.

International Response

7. Inter-agency rapid assessment teams were deployed on 29 December. Three teams comprising of representatives from UN agencies and NGOs have visited Aceh Utara, Aceh Tamiang, Gayo Lues and Bener Meriah to assess the damages to form basis for relief requirements. The preliminary report is expected on 3 January.

8. Additionally, Oxfam, GTZ, KDP, MSF Belgium, PMI and UNICEF have conducted rapid assessments in the areas that they are active.

9. As of 31 December, WFP has distributed a total of 1 week's food rations - noodles and biscuits - to 12 flood-affected sub-districts in Aceh Tamiang (Apprx. 194MT), and 2 week's food rations each to Gayo Lues (10MT), Bener Meriah (3.3MT), and Aceh Tengah (1MTs).

East Aceh

Aceh Tamiang

10. According to the latest district government data (1 January), 87.179 persons (17,403 households) are currently displaced out of the total district population of 248,219 (56,074 households). 50 have been killed and 36 are missing. 1,607 houses have been totally destroyed; 5,103 suffered heavy damage and 10,165 light damage. 40 mosques, 461 km of roads, 1,453 km of bridge have been affected. 63 elementary schools, 18 junior high schools, and 9 senior high schools have been affected, of which 5 are completely destroyed.

11. As of 1 January 2007, almost all affected areas in 12 sub-districts are accessible either by land or boat. According to information received from the camat's:

Due to the damage to the Bandar Khalifah bridge, speed boats must be used to access Tamiang Hulu. Likewise, Pulau Tiga village can be accessed only by boat. According to the camat, Bandar Khalifah, Alue Tani I, and Alue Tani II are not accessible due to the high level of mud (up to 1m) on the road left by the floods.

- Tenggulun sub-district is accessible until Tenggulun village by 4 wheel drive vehicle. Speedboat is required to go beyond Rimba Salam.

- Bandar Pusaka sub-district is accessible by land up to Pulau Tiga. Speed boat is required to reach Batu Bedulang. Small sampans that used to connect between Meulaboh and Batu Bedulang sank in the flood. It will take 3 hours to go from Suak Semadam-Pulau Tiga-Meulaboh by river and then continue with motorbike to reach Meulaboh.

- All villages in Kejuaran Muda sub-district are accessible by land.

- Sekerak can be accessed only by boat even before the floods.

- Nine villages in Manyak Payed sub-district are reportedly inaccessible due to the high water level, according to the camat. Six bridges were not functioning even before the floods, however.

12. The on-going needs include clean water (16,000 households) via water bladder/tank and water trucking, sanitation (toilets at the camp points), medicines, tents (5,000 units), water purification (16,000 households). Heavy equipment to remove mud and debris is also needed.

13. The limited availability of suitable vehicles (4 wheel drive) is posing a challenge to several organizations trying to deliver NFIs to remote areas. The internet connection is now available through the AirPutih service in Kuala Simpang DPR building.

14. General coordination meeting for Aceh Tamiang was held on 1 January 2007 at the DPR building attended by 20 agencies (Local/National/International NGOs, Head of Dinas Kesehatan, Secretary of DPR, mass media, police officer) lead by UNORC. Sectoral leads were assigned to UNICEF for health, watsan, education and UNORC for NFI distribution.

15. UNICEF NFI items such as school tents, family tents, stove, lanterns, bladders, etc have arrived at Kuala Simpang and stored at the Posko.

North Aceh

Aceh Utara

16. Oxfam has prepared an assessment report of Watsan needs in Aceh Utara and has divided responsible villages between CARDI and Oxfam. Oxfam is also conducting water trucking in 7 villages in Lhokseukon sub-district, and starting public health awareness in villages served. Jerry cans, soap, and cleaning tools will be distributed to those villages later in the week.

17. IOM has started trucking service for NGOs from Jakan Listrik, Lhokseumawe.

Central Aceh

Bener Meriah/Gayo Lues

18. A convoy of 5 IOM trucks carrying food and NFIs, arrived in Bener Meriah Posko on 29 December.

19. Agencies are requested to inform Satlak in Bener Meriah of the types and quantities of aid offered before distribution by helicopters, which are deployed from the Rembele airfield for distribution in isolated areas.

20. UNORC facilitated the arrival a BAKORNAS Puma helicopter to Rembele on 2 January conduct the airlifts of stockpiles of relief items in Rembele..

21. IOM has requested that all transportation requests and related matters concerning Gayo Lues by coordinated with IOM logistics focal point.

WFP sent 2 trucks to Blang Keujeuren with food items that will be distributed via helicopter or road.

*Due to internet problem, communication with the field and partners has been difficult.

More information

This situation report and maps of the affected areas are available on OCHA's Reliefweb: http://www.reliefweb.int

Map: Indonesia: Floods - Location map

Tel: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel: +41-22-917 20 10

UNORC Banda Aceh:
Ms. Satoko Nakagawa, Mobile. +62-811-825.214,
Email: nakagawas@un.org

Desk Officers:
(GVA) Mr. Guido Galli Direct Tel. +41-22-9173171
Ms. Magalie Salazar Direct Tel. +41-22-9174112
(N.Y.) Ms. Ah-Young Kim, Direct Tel. +1-212-963-5131

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