Jum'at, 2 Oktober 2009
A major earthquake magnitude 7.6 on the Richter scale struck West Sumatra yesterday causing havoc and major damage to the provincial capital of Padang and Pariaman District. Padang, a city of 900,000 people, sits on one of the world's most active fault lines along the so-called "Ring of Fire". The epicenter of the earthquake was located 57 km. west of Pariaman and at a sea depth of 71km, with its affects felt around the region including in Singapore and Malaysia.
Thousands of houses as heavily damaged or destroyed by fire, several hospitals destroyed, and many shopping centres and stores also burnt down. The government health department has reported that hundreds of people are still trapped in damaged buildings. The public hospital which should act as the main center for coordinating Padang's health disaster preparedness is heavily damaged, as well as private hospitals. As at 22:13 local time on Wednesday, the death toll in Padang and Pariaman was reported to have reached at least 75 people and is expected to rise as people are found under the rubble.
According to the local government, around 80% of the houses in the area have been destroyed across 3 sub-districts (17 villages). Twenty-eight (28) people are reported dead. No information is yet available on the number of injured.
Electricity in Padang is cut off so that communication is difficult. Roads are blocked in many places. The airport in Padang was closed leaving many passengers stranded, but was expected to re-open this morning.
The level of damage is predicted far worse than the earthquake in West Java that occurred on 2nd September and to which we are already currently responding. Government officials have warned that the extent of damage could be as bad as that cause by the 2006 earthquake in Yogyakarta, Java when 5,000 people were killed and 150,000 homes damaged.
Immediate humanitarian needs identified include tents due to heavy rain, medical teams and additional equipment to help with search and rescue of survivors trapped in buildings.
The Government of Indonesia has declared that an emergency response should be prepared for a period of up to two months.
Since yesterday evening, YAKKUM's emergency response team has been working with their medical Rehabilitation Centre has also deployed intial relief materials along with a medical team. A team of 5 nurses, 2 medical doctors and 1 logistician was deployed to Pariaman this afternoon (local time), together with hundreds of blankets, tents and personal hygiene kits. Tomorrow, another team will be heading to Padang from Jakarta to support coordination at the Provincial level in Padang. Rapid and in-depth assessments to be conducted will focus on health and related water and sanitation and psychosocial issues in coordination with the government and related bodies.
YEU's focus will be on assisting injured people with less access to health care and those with potentially permanent disabilities as well as on women, children and the elderly with specific needs. This will be provided through mobile health services and in coordination with the existing health structures.
For further information please contact:
Dita Novirani/Information Officer (081328463384)
We will appreciate your contribution
that could be directed to:
YAKKUM EMERGENCY UNIT.RRF
Bank Mandiri
Branch Yogyakarta Wisma PU, Jalan Adisutjipto Yogyakarta
Account no. 137-00-0524815-4
Swift code: BMRIIDJA
(admin)