Emergency Assistance to Communities Affected by Mount Kelud Eruption in East Java Province
Situation Overview
One week after the eruption, most of the displaced people in evacuation posts has been returned to their house while continue cleaning. Even though the conditions of the houses were not secure and decent enough to live in yet, the communities preferred returned to their place because the limited facility and lack of management in evacuation posts. The communities worried about their roof will collapse because the heavy sands and stone from the mountain and also about their assets since the villages were empty.
On 20 February 2014, the government through National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has been decreased the status of Mount Kelud to Level III based on information from Centre of Volcanology and Geological Hazard (PVMBG) and 90 % displaced peoples has returned to their villages on 21 February.
Learning from the above mentioned findings, there should be safety and protection measures to those are turning to villages; on how to assist them in a more coordinated manner when returning to villages, to ensure that child protection issue is addressed properly by the family and the school authority, and to guarantee that the houses and environment in the villages are safe for continuing the living and livelihood of the population.
YEU Emergency Response
Since most of the displaced people (especially males, boys) returned to their houses, only women, children, and elderly stayed in evacuation posts. Based on that, YEU emergency team visited directly the affected community to their villages. On 19 February 2014, YEU team assisted the affected communities in Sukomoro sub villages and Laharpang sub villages in Puncu sub district. Sukomoro and Laharpang located in 3-5 km from the mountain and one of the worst affected area because the eruption. Almost all roof of the houses destroyed with level heavy, medium, and small damaged.
YEU distributed NFI such as 200 package family hygiene kits (consist of towels, detergent, bath soap, tooth brush, tooth paste, mosquito repellent lotion, woman’s undergarments, and eyes drop), 10 pieces adult pampers, and 338 pieces baby pampers from AmeriCares and 100 package baby kits (consist of baby tissue, baby undergarment, baby shampoo, baby soap, baby tooth brush, baby tooth paste, eucalyptus oil, baby powder, and pampers) , 632 eyes drop, and 4 box decent clothes in Kopassus camp, Laharpang sub village, Puncu sub district. YEU’s emergency response team directly delivered the relief items.
In Kenteng Barat sub village, Besowo village, Kepung sub district, the health team from Bethesda Hospital Yogyakarta assisted 53 patients and YEU team distributed 150 face masks to the community directly. Top five diseases as follow: (1) myalgia, (2) upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), (3) cephalgia, (4) Low Back Pain (LBP) and (5) Hypertension.
On 20 February, YEU delivered emergency assistance in Kenteng Timur sub village, Besowo village, Kepung sub district and Wonorejo sub village, Kampung Baru village, Kepung sub district. Health care team assisted 106 patients (49 males and 57 females) in Kenteng Timur sub village and 176 patients (86 males and 90 females) in Wonorejo sub village. One week after the eruption, most of the patients came down with (1) URTI, (2) myalgia, (3) cephalgia, (4) dermatitis, and (5) LBP.. In Wonorejo sub village, except health assistance, YEU team also:
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Distributed 1000 face masks handover to the sub village representative and 150 face masks directly to the communities.
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Children psychosocial activity such as played games and drawing with 25 children.
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Emergency team evacuated one patient from Wonorejo sub village suspected TBC to Kediri Hospital.
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Hand over posters preparing volcano eruption and cold lava flow and interactive games
On 21 February 2014, YEU accompanied Sawo Kembar Yogyakarta distributed NFI such as mats, blankets, children clothes, eucalyptus oil, balm, and eyes drop and collaborated distributed food items such as rice, mineral water, vegetables, and eggs in Kenteng Barat sub village, Kepung sub district. While the medical team assisted health care treatment to 147 patients in Pulerejo sub village, Wonorejo Trisulo village and Badek sub village, Sepawon village, Plosoklaten sub district with top five diseases as follow: (1) URTI, (2) cephalgia, (3) dermatitis, (4) myalgia, and (5) Artralgia.
After the returned of the community to their villages, YEU team observed deep assessment in Laharpang sub village, Puncu sub district. Up to 22 February 2014, the aid for livestock feeds still not available. There were about 73 cows and 173 goats in Laharpang sub village need concentrates and or green foods such as grass. The grass will only grow in 2 -3 months later, so the breeders at least need support to cover livestock feeds for 2-3 months. The government planned to distribute 1000 roof tiles for each household, but so far the community only received 880 roof tiles per household and for the remaining no information from the government so far. Tarpaulins have been distributed but very limited and not enough to cover the communities needed. Water tank was provided by the government, and water supplied by Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) with capacity 650 liters but limited which makes the communities struggle to get water. Health center (puskesmas) in Puncu sub district was collapse, thus the health services transferred to auxiliary health center in Gadungan, Puncu. Meanwhile, the health center functionary service by mobile and established health post in village’s hall affected area. Unfortunately the health post were not concerned to expecting mother treatment, the services only focus on general illness.
YEU emergency response team also observes several pressing needs in some affected area, amongst others are tarpaulins as temporary roof, fresh food (such as vegetables, eggs, fish, and fruit), water supply, health care, and livestock feeds. The environment condition post eruption was still hazardous, where most houses were still covered with thick ash, limited clean water, drinking water and fresh foods. The current medical team from Yakkum’s Bethesda Hospital will be replaced with another medical team from Yakkum’s Panti Wilasa dr. Cipto Hospital Semarang consisting of 1 doctor and 2 nurses and 1 driver who will provide the health assistance until 25 February 2014.
YEU Planned Activities
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Continue the health care assistance in several affected area as follow:
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Notorejo sub village, Kampung Baru village, Kepung sub district - Wonorejo Barat sub village, Kampung Baru village, Kepung sub district - Petung Ombo sub village, Wonorejo Trisulo village, Plosoklaten sub district - Pesawon sub village, Wonorejo Trisulo village, Plosoklaten sub district - Socialization on preparing volcano eruption and cold lava flow through interactive poster, how to clean volcanic ashes in and out of the house, and usage of face mask education in Tanggung Mulyo sub village, Wonorejo village, Puncu sub district.
Distribute face mask, NFI such as towels, detergent, bath soap, tooth brushes, tooth paste, eucalyptus oil, baby clothes and baby oil. Coordination with Health Department in Kediri.
Coordination and Collaboration
YEU is coordinating the response with Humanitarian Forum Indonesia (HFI), UNOCHA, FAO, and WHO. The coordination highlights the concern on setting up cluster meeting on health, livelihood, and children issues.
YEU Contacts:
Field Coordinator : Ranie Ayu Hapsari (mobile: 0813 6037 2289, email: azhima_rn@yahoo.co.id)
Field Infocom : Mardianceh Hutauruk (mobile: 0853 2623 4745, email: cece.yeu@gmail.com)
YEU Head Office : mobile: 0274-882477, email: yeu@yeu.or.id, web: www.yeu@yeu.or.id, FB: YAKKUM Emergency Unit
Rekening Donasi:
Mandiri a.n. Yakkum Emergency Unit
No. rekening 1370005099425