Location of operation: INDONESIA
Amount of Decision: EUR 3,000,000
Decision reference number: ECHO/IDN/BUD/2006/03000
Explanatory Memorandum
1 - Rationale, needs and target population.
1.1. - Rationale:
On Saturday 27 May 2006 at 05:54 local time (26 May 2006, 22:54 GMT), an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 on the Richter Scale hit a densely populated area in the Province of Yogyakarta on the southern coast of Java, Indonesia(1). The epicentre was located at 8.26=B0S and 110.3=B0E, approximately 37.2 km south of the city of Yogyakarta, at a depth of 17km beneath the seabed.
By the evening of 27 May, at least 3,002 people were already reported dead(2), 10,000 to 20,000 injured(3) and 200,000 displaced(4). With many people still buried or trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings, the number of casualties is expected to rise. Property damage is extensive and widespread.
The most affected districts are Bantul and Kulonprogo, south of Yogyakarta(5). In the district of Bantul, 70 to 80% of houses as well as the public hospital and six health centers have completely collapsed(6).
In much of the impacted areas, water supply, electricity and mobile phone services have been disrupted and petrol stations are inoperative. In Prambanan, 10km east of Yogyakarta, the railway station collapsed and the railroad was uplifted. Yogyakarta airport suffered extensive damage and has been closed.
The central government has declared the disaster as a national disaster emergency, and the army has been mobilized to help evacuate the affected people. The quake hit close to Mount Merapi, Indonesia's most active volcano, which has been threatening to erupt for several weeks. Activity picked up right after the quake, with a large burst of hot clouds and debris avalanching 3.5 km down its western flank. There is a risk that the temblor could spark a large eruption. The number of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) has significantly increased from the 18,567 IDPs registered on 23 May(7), and relocation centers are overcrowded.
The IFRC made an emergency appeal of CHF 12,000,000 (approximately EUR 7,680,000).
Notes:
(1) Source: US Geological Survey , USGS
(2) Source: BBC website
(3) Source: United Nations (UN) Interagency Coordination Meeting, 27 May, Jakarta
(4) Source: Indonesian Red Cross (IFRC)
(5) Source: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Sitrep, 27 May
(6) Source: IFRC information bulletin, 27 May 2006
(7) Source: OCHA Field Sitrep, 23 May 2006