September 19, 2007

Another strong earthquake hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra today, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. No tsunami warning was issued, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.

The 6.4-magnitude earthquake follows an 8.4-magnitude quake off of Sumatra last week that was followed by a series of aftershocks that ranged in intensity from 4.9 to 7.8. Last week's incidents caused a reported 23 deaths.

Cleanup from those incidents continue, with aid being supplied throughout affected areas, though relief assistance has been slow in getting to some isolated areas, such as Bengkulu Utara and the Mentawai Islands, located off the western coast of Sumatra. The main public hospital in Bengkulu is still not operational, due to damage caused by the quake, Action by Churches Together (ACT) International reported.

RESPONSE: Earlier this week, a team from Church World Service Indonesia conducted a rapid assessment in the areas of Sumatera Barat and Bengkulu Utara, as well as the Muko-muko sub-district of North Bengkulu. The CWS team described the overall situation as that of survivors constructing temporary shelters near their homes or what is left of them, using debris and wood from rubble. ""eople are in urgent need of food and tents/tarpaulin," the team said, also noting that water and latrines are in short supply and are also needed.

In Lunang Silaut subdistrict, the CWS team distributed 10 tarpaulins, 20 plastic mats and plastic rope; CWS Indonesia is now preparing a wider, coordinated response with its partners and fellow ACT Indonesia forum members Yayasan Tanggul Bencana Indonesia (YTBI) and Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU).

To contribute to Church World Service relief and recovery effortsin Sumatra, you can make a secure donation online, or call Church World Service toll free at 800-297-1516.

Media Contact: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526; jdragin@gis.net