The Federation's mission is to improve
the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It
is the world's largest humanitarian organisation and its millions of volunteers
are active in over 185 countries.
In Brief
Operations Update no. 8; Period covered: 6 July to 12 July, Year 2006;
Appeal target: CHF 38,045,439 (USD 31 million or EUR 24 million);
Appeal coverage: 70.6%;
Outstanding needs: CHF 11,185, 359 (approx. million USD 9,093,787 or million EUR 7,129,432)
Appeal history:
- Preliminary appeal launched on 27 May 2006 for CHF 12.8 million (USD 10.4 million or EUR 8.2 million) for 8 months to assist 200,000 beneficiaries.
- Revised appeal was launched on 6 June for CHF 38 million to assist 325,000 beneficiaries for 12 months
Operational Summary:
In solidarity of the Yogyakarta earthquake survivors, fellow Indonesians from other parts of the country have volunteered to engage in the housing reconstruction of disaster-affected communities. Through continuous support of PMI volunteers and staff as well as the Federation secretariat, expanded operational capacity lead to a scale up of beneficiaries in the emergency relief sector, where target families have increased from 65,000 to 90,000. To date, relief distribution has reached approximately 87,600 families, with more than 85,000 families receiving shelter material. The plans of action for programmes are being finalized as the operation transitions into the rehabilitation phase. With the appeal now over 70% covered, the Federation wishes to thank the continuous strong financial support by sister societies, governments, ECHO, other international organizations and private donors.
Background
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter scale struck near the city of Yogyakarta in Central Java at 05:54 hrs local time on 27 May 2006. Causing extreme and widespread destruction, there has been considerable loss of lives and injuries, with villages in more remote areas south of Yogyakarta as well as in and around Bantul most severely affected. The earthquake epicentre was located some 20 km south-southeast of Yogyakarta at a depth of 10 km. Tremors were felt across the region, as far away as Semarang and Surabaya on the opposite coast of Java.
Operational developments
Indonesian communities continue to mobilize their own resources in the reconstruction of their earthquake-damaged houses. In the spirit and cultural practice of mutual assistance or gotong royong, Indonesians from outside Yogyakarta have travelled to disaster areas to assist villagers in the clean up and reconstruction. Many volunteers from different parts of Indonesia have also joined the PMI and Federation since the start of the operation to deliver assistance to many affected communities.
After detailed needs assessments of the affected communities and through the dedication and commitment of PMI volunteers, staff and the Federation delegation, the operation plans to scale up operational capacity for relief, expanding the target beneficiaries to 90,000 families. To date, approximately more than 87,600 families have received relief supplies, with more than 85,000 from this figure receiving shelter materials. To reach the additional 25,000 families without increasing the appeal budget, funds initially planned to provide 65,000 families with a relief package for a second month as per the plan of action will be diverted, enabling the operation to reach more people, many of whom still face great vulnerability. These additional 25,000 families will receive a complete relief package that consists of supplies that can fulfil their shelter, food and hygiene needs. Based on assessment, this approach is more critical as the initial 65,000 families have already benefited from an earlier relief package of hygiene, food and baby parcels.
Plans to increase target beneficiaries for relief is still being finalized and harmonized with plans from other sectors and will be reflected in future updates. In the meantime, an operational plan of action is under preparation, which also outlines an operational budget and staff requirements.
The Federation secretariat and partner national societies continue working with the PMI in relief, water and sanitation and health. Currently, more than 120 PMI volunteers from Java and other districts are still actively providing relief support to affected communities in Bantul, Sleman, Klaten and Kulon Progo districts, in coordination with the Federation delegation and partner national societies. Volunteers further support communities in health and water and sanitation, particularly in Bantul and Klaten, where cleaning of wells and distribution of water is ongoing: 106 wells have been cleaned in Klaten and 30,000 litres of water distributed in Bantul. Considering the possible outbreak and spread of a pandemic, the PMI has started spraying insecticide in Sleman and Klaten districts. In Bantul, 376 earthquake survivors were treated by PMI mobile clinics. Volunteers also provide support to ongoing pyschosocial programmes.
Human resources within the Federation operation continue to stabilize, with longer-term delegates in place. As the operation settles and the emergency phase ends, the need for ongoing support from other offices in Indonesia has diminished and all staff-on-loan from the tsunami are expected to return by the end of July.
Beyond the emergency phase, partner national societies (PNS) continue to support and the operation and are developing longer-term strategies. The German Red Cross has closed its water purifying plant and handed it over to the PMI. It is now moving into early recovery projects, having submitted a proposal to the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission (ECHO) that targets assistance to 6,000 families in the distribution of building materials for three months (July to September).
With the status of Mt. Merapi now lowered from "caution" to alert, many are returning home. The number of people displaced has remained at 3,150. The villages of Gandang, Batu, Gading, Ngancar, Singlar, Pagerjurang and Ngemplak are receiving 79,500 litres of water daily from the PMI water and sanitation team, which is especially critical where water sources are scarce or contaminated. As part of the preparedness programme, the PMI has opened a clinic at its office in Sleman. An ambulance is on standby 24 hours in case of an eruption of Mt Merapi.
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
Indonesian Red Cross (PMI): Mr. Arifin M. Hadi (acting head of disaster management division); mobile: +62.811.943.952; telephone: +62.21.799.2325 ext. 222; email: arifinmhd@telkom.net
Federation country delegation in Indonesia: Peter Cameron (acting head of delegation); email: peter.cameron@ifrc.org; mobile: +62.81.2104.8209; fax: +62.21.7918.0905
Federation Southeast Asia regional delegation in Thailand: Bekele Geleta (head of regional delegation); email: bekele.geleta@ifrc.org; phone: +66.2.661.8201 ext 100; or Michael Annear (head of regional disaster management unit); email: michael.annear@ifrc.org; phone: +66.2.661.8201
Federation Secretariat in Geneva (Asia Pacific department): Gert Venghaus (regional officer); email: gert.venghaus@ifrc.org; phone: +41.22.730.4258; fax: fax: +41.22.733.0395
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