Appeal

Indonesia

Sumatra Earthquake ASID72

Appeal Target: US$ 209,751

Geneva, 19 October 2007

On 12 September 2007, a magnitude 8.4 earthquake struck the southwest coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, the epicenter of which was located 105 km off the coast. Several aftershocks were reported, with a magnitude of up to 6.6. Tsunami alerts were issued several times but later cancelled, and although a small (1m) tsunami did occur, it did not cause significant damage.

As of 27 September 2007, the National Coordination Board for the Disaster Management (BAKORNAS PB) reported that the earthquake has impacted three provinces in Sumatra: Bengkulu, West Sumatra, and Jambi. The earthquake killed 25 persons and injured 100 others. The damage to housing and infrastructure is extensive. Almost 88,000 houses have been damaged, of which 18,000 were totally destroyed, about 2,000 educational facilities damaged, of which 260 completely destroyed and 620 health facilities hit, of which 1 hospital destroyed and 128 severely damaged. Most displaced people have returned home, but due to the extensive damage to shelter, many quake survivors are setting up makeshift huts.

The current assistance in Bengkulu and Sumatera Barat comes from the local government, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), local NGOs, the United Nations, as well as some international organizations. The type of assistance is mainly emergency shelter, food and non-food items and health services. However, some remote areas, particularly in the Mentawai islands, have yet to receive adequate humanitarian assistance. Access to the affected communities is severely hampered as the villages are dispersed over many islands and a large area, while transportation is difficult as the number of available boats is limited.

ACT members Church World Service (CWS) and Christian Foundation for Public Health) Emergency Unit (YEU) have already responded to the disaster. CWS, after an initial assessment in the affected district, distributed plastic mats, ropes and tarpaulins to 1,891 people in nine villages in West Sumatra province. YEU was actively involved in rescue operations, in needs assessments and provided health centers with health equipment and medicine supply for 5000 patients to the Mentawai and Sipina Islands. CWS plans to provide about 6,200 people with 1,506 shelters on the Sipora island and the Mentawai Islands, in West Sumatra province. YEU intends to provide a) training on health related emergency preparedness for 42 staff of local health centers, 20 heads of villages and officers of the district government and 10 leaders of Muslim and Christian communities; b) basic equipment (surgery kit, stethoscope, sphygmomanometer, thermometer to 10 local health centers in Batiknau, 2 local health centers in Putri Hijau and 2 local health centers in Ketahun; c) health education and information on respiratory infection, diarrhea, dengue fever, and malaria for about 70,000 people and d) training in psychosocial support for 42 health center staff.local health centers in Ketahun; c) health education and information on respiratory infection, diarrhea, dengue fever, and malaria for about 70,000 people and d) training in psychosocial support for 42 health center staff.

Project Completion Date:

CWS: 31 January 2008

YEU: 30 April 2008

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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.