ACT Alert

Indonesia - 01/2007

ACT International members respond to Sumatra quake

Geneva, 13 September 2007

On 12 September 2007 an earthquake measuring 8.4 on the Richter Scale hit 105 km south west of Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia, shaking Southeast Asia, collapsing buildings, killing at least five people and injuring dozens in Indonesia. A second quake of 7.8 the following day, 13 September, shook the very same area of Sumatra. Tsunami warnings were issued for wide areas of the region and nations as far away as Africa. However, the quakes only triggered small non destructive tsunamis off the coastal city of Padang on Sumatra, the Indonesian island ravaged by the 2004 tsunami disaster. A rise in the sea water level of 1 - 2 metres off Mentawai island caused 200 households from Seay Baru and Sikakap to flee into the nearest hills in anticipation of a bigger tsunami.

The official death toll is currently 9 persons while 24 persons are seriously injured. Casualties appear low at present, but officials warn that bad communications may be hiding the scale of impact.

Already by the afternoon of 12 September (local time), dozens of injured people had flooded the only hospital in Bengkulu which also had been severely damaged by the earthquake. All the treatment rooms in the hospital were badly damaged forcing treatment of patients outdoors. Medical teams, medicine and large tents are needed in order to assemble an emergency field hospital and clinics, mostly in remote areas of Bengkulu Utara district.

ACT member Yayasan Tanggul Bencana di Indonesia (YTBI) were immediately in contact with the Christian Church of Southern Sumatra (GKSBS) and the Protestant Christian Church in Mentawai (GKPM) to obtain information on the impact of the quake. YTBI is sending their Rapid Response Officer to the area to conduct an assessment and facilitate provision of emergency relief through GKSBS which is conducting an assessment in two of the most remote locations in the affected area: Sibelat and North Bengkulu. YTBI has allocated IDR 7.5 million (USD 833) for this and a further IDr 10 million (USD 1,111) to GKPM to carry out assessments.

ACT member Church World Service (CWS) Indonesia is ready to release material aid from their pre-positioned warehouses and is currently preparing to send a team to the affected area with 50 tarpaulins at the request of YEU as many of the injured and other survivors are staying outdoors in fear of more quakes.

ACT member Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU) was in immediate contact with local doctors in Bengkulu to assess the situation in the health sector. YEU has also provided support to the local GKSBS synod. An assessment team from Medan is currently on its way to Bengkulu. YEU is also collaborating with the emergency medical personnel of Yogyakarta and Sardjito public hospitals in sending a medical team to the Bengkulu Utara district to help in providing medical services to the affected. Pusat Rehabilitasi Yakkum is also sending an assessment team to focus on potential disabilities and provide physiotherapy to the injured survivors.

The latest news from GKPM Mentawai reports that almost all the houses as well as schools, churches and mosques in the coastal areas have been destroyed or sustained damages. Sikakap harbour has been destroyed and some roads and bridges can no longer be used. Almost 50% of government building were destroyed in Tuapejat and houses heavily damaged. In this area people fled about four kilometres inland from the coast. They have, however, received some support in the form of tents and limited food supplies from the Government.

The situation is similar in Siberut with some school buildings and houses destroyed. Almost all the residents in this area have fled to nearby mountainous areas. Tents, lighting, food and medicine are urgently needed.

GKPM has notified local authorities of the most urgent needs of the survivors, however, there is no means of transportation at the moment and boats are currently not permitted to sail out to Mentawai island due to bad weather conditions. Some support from the army and navy is now to be expected.

Members of the ACT Forum Indonesia are closely co-ordinating and a more detailed update will be released once information is received from the assessment teams in the field.

A Rapid Response Fund request and/or appeal proposals may be forthcoming. The ACT Coordinating Office is awaiting indications from the ACT members in Indonesia.

Any funding indications in case of a future appeal should be communicated to Roshan Rajaratne, ACT Assistant Finance Officer (rra@act-intl.org).

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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.