PACIFIC DISASTER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION NETWORK (PDMIN)
1 Jarrett White Road MCPA-DM, Tripler AMC, HI 96859-5000
Telephone: 808.433.7035 · PDMIN@coe-dmha.org · http://www.coe-dmha.org

 

Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Update

 

January 5, 2005

 

Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font.

 

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

Overview......................................page 2-5

Indonesia.....................................page 7-15

Sri Lanka......................................page 17-25

Thailand.......................................page 27-37

Overview

 

·      Search and rescue operations for last month’s (December 26) massive tsunamis are largely over. The tsunamis were triggered by an undersea earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the west coast of Indonesia’s northern Sumatra Island and killed more than 150,000 people along the coastal areas of some 11 countries in the Indian Ocean. The focus of attention is now quickly shifting to relief and recovery efforts. Tsunami-related deaths have been reported in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. The loss of life has been particularly severe in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. According to the Indonesian Health Ministry, the death toll has now climbed to over 94,081, with the possibility of 100,000 or even more in the northern province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra and along the 115 miles of the islands along Indonesia’s northwestern coast, which is close to the epicenter of the earthquake. WHO estimates 80 percent of Aceh’s west coast has been damaged. The death toll in Sri Lanka and India has also climbed to in excess of 30,000 and 9,400 deaths respectively. India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as the southern state of Tamil Nadu, have been the worst hit areas. The death toll in Thailand’s resort islands of Phuket and Phi Phi has now climbed to over 5,000, including some 2,500 foreigners from at least 36 countries. More than 400 combined deaths have also been reported in Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. UNICEF officials say the health situation in India’s worst-hit district of Nagapattinam in the southern state of Tamil Nadu is “decent.” An adequate supply of clean drinking water has prevented the outbreak of an epidemic. (Jan-3, AFP, AP, NDM India, Multiple)

 

·      The United States has designated Thailand’s Utapao Royal Thai Naval Air Force Base near Sattahip city in Chonburi province as its hub to coordinate relief efforts for countries affected by last week’s tsunamis. The US has already deployed its surveillance aircraft, helicopters and C-130 planes to Utapao along with 350 officials who will coordinate with Thailand’s 536 Task Force, under the command of US Vice-Admiral Robert R. Blackman.

 

·      The United Nations (UN) has accepted Singapore’s offer to set up a UN Regional Coordination Center there to coordinate relief efforts to affected areas. According to Singapore’s foreign ministry officials, Singapore would provide its Air and Naval bases, the use of its aircraft and helicopter carriers as well as dedicated administration, secretariat, command, control & communication, and media support center for the UN Regional Coordination Center. Singapore has also waived charges for handling of relief supplies at its ports. Singapore’s Paya Lebar Air Base and Changi Naval Base in the southeast are capable of taking largest transport aircraft and aircraft and helicopter carriers respectively. (Jan-03, Xinhua, JP, AP)

 

·      Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will be presiding over an international donors’ meeting this Thursday (January 6) in the capital Jakarta to discuss the tsunami/earthquake crisis. Heads of states and senior officials from 10 ASEAN nations as well as Australia, China, India, Japan, Maldives, New Zealand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, United States, United Nations and the World Bank are expected to attend the meeting which coincides with the UN flash appeal to be launched the same day. Among the notable attendees include UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Japan’s Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

 

·      United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) in Geneva has called two meetings to be held on January 6 and January 11 respectively. Tomorrow’s informational meeting at the UN headquarters will discuss the UN flash appeal for humanitarian assistance to tsunami-affected communities, which is due to be launched in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta the same day. Next Tuesday’s (January 11) meeting will be at the ministerial level. OCHA has sent out invitations to all permanent missions to the UN in Geneva.

 

·      The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) head Jan Egeland says pledges exceed US$2 billion; Secretary-General Kofi Annan says it may take ten years and cost tens of billions of dollars to reconstruct devastated areas. Annan said he is concerned that some of the US$2 billion pledges may never materialize. Germany and Australia are expected to significantly increase their aid contribution. Australia plans to announce a US$385 million aid package for Indonesia to restore infrastructure. According to unconfirmed reports, Germany is considering upping its pledge to US$665 million (500 million Euros). (Jan-04, AP, Reuters, AFP)

 

·      Britain is the latest country to join the call for a debt moratorium for countries affected by last week’s tsunami disaster. European countries led by Germany and France had earlier called for debt relief for the worst-affected countries. British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, is saying a repayment freeze could total as much as US$5.7 billion a year for the affected countries. He said the debt freeze will be offered as part of a broader package of emergency aid and reconstruction funds to severely hit countries that would include Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Paris Club members will discuss the proposal at its meeting on January 12. Italy has issued a similar appeal to G8 nations. Last week, Canada placed a unilateral debt moratorium for affected nations with immediate effect. (Jan-05, AP, BBC)

 

·      The United States, India, Australia, Japan and the United Nations have formed an international coalition to coordinate worldwide relief and reconstruction efforts. European Union is expected to join the “core group” announced by US President George W Bush on Wednesday (December 29). Canada has joined and more nations are likely to join the initiative.

 

·      World Health Organization (WHO) officials in South Asia estimate as many as five million people have been displaced and are at risk across the region. In Indonesia alone an estimated 1 million people are either displaced or homeless. However, at this stage of the crisis the actual extent of both those affected and those displaced remains unclear. Many are in temporary camps or sites close to their homes; the West coast of Indonesia’s Aceh, which was the area closest to the epicenter, has yet to be assessed.

 

·      WHO says an estimated 500,000 people believed to have been injured in the tsunami disaster. Officials are warning of a “health disaster” if the survivors were not given quick access to clean drinking water. There have been some reports of diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia and skin infections in Indonesia. However, so far there have been no reports of disease outbreaks. WHO is seeking US$60 million for the next six months to overcome the threats of water-borne and respiratory diseases. (Jan-4, AFP, Reuters)

 

·      UN experts are warning of possible epidemics within days if health systems are not brought up to speed. According to the UN, water, sanitation, food, shelter and medical teams with supplies are priority sectors to stem any disease outbreaks. Due to the contamination of drinking water sources and stagnant water, the risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, malaria and dengue fever, remains very high. Food and medicine in many areas are in short supply. Health experts at the UN and International Committee of the Red Cross warn of significant number of additional deaths due to possible outbreaks of disease. The risk of malaria is significantly high due to warm temperatures. Sri Lanka is particularly vulnerable to malaria due to the recent monsoon season as standing water provides ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. (Dec-30, UN News Service, PBS)

 

·      WHO is encouraging setting up smaller-sized camps for displaced survivors. WHO Director-General Dr. Lee Jong-Wook is saying smaller camp sizes would lessen the risk of disease outbreaks, such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid, that can otherwise spread easily when people are packed in together.

 

·      A number of logistical problems remain despite some progress. Although main roads are now accessible in most affected districts in Sri Lanka, except Batticaloa, transport capacity is insufficient to move relief supplies inland. Distribution mechanisms remain weak. The Sri Lankan government, in conjunction with the United Nations Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC), is reportedly addressing these problems. In Indonesia, backlogs at Banda Aceh airport and nearby Medan airport due to shortage of loading and unloading equipment and resulting congestion in North Sumatra Province, are diminishing with the opening of airport facilities in neighboring Singapore and Malaysia. A tracking system for the relief shipments is still in the works. Problems reportedly still persist with customs clearance as officials are not fully aware of the government’s simplified new procedure. Civil-military cooperation remains weak. The UNJLC is sending a liaison officer to USPACOM in Honolulu to improve coordination and communication with the US military. There have been no reports of pending logistical issues from Thailand.

 

·      The US military is doubling its helicopter fleet from 46 to over 90 in an effort to speed up tsunami relief operations for tsunami-stricken nations in the Indian Ocean. Admiral Thomas Fargo, Commander of the US forces in the Pacific, said yesterday that the additional helicopters would come from US military assets in South Korea and Guam.

 

·      Jan Egeland, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs is saying at least 1.6 million people affected by the disaster are in need of food aid.

 

·      United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking US$80 million in urgent humanitarian aid for an estimated 1.5 million children in the region. The appeal is part of a UN flash appeal to be launched this Thursday (January 6).

 

·      International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched a consolidated appeal for US$59 million for the crisis.

 

·      In an unprecedented call by a non-government organization (NGO), the Nobel-prize winning international medical relief group, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said today (January 4) that it had collected US$54 million in donations since last Sunday’s (December 26) tsunami disaster, adding that the organization had enough funds to assist millions of affected people in South Asia. MSF is urging donors to redirect funding to those crises that have slipped from public attention.

 

·      German insurance giant Munich Re estimates the cost of damage to buildings and foundations in the affected regions to exceed US$13.6 billion.

 

Indonesia

 

Organization

 

Overview………………………………………………………...page 7

 

Domestic Response……………………………………………page 9

            Government                                                            

            Local Humanitarian Organizations

 

International Response……………………………………….page 10

            Foreign Governments

            United Nations

            International Humanitarian Organizations

Indonesia Overview

 

The Indonesian Ministry of Information and Communication says that some 476,619 people are “refugees” (displaced) from the disaster and the numbers could increase as there were still many others uncounted. Aid organizations have also been saying that they believe the numbers of displaced are also much higher. The number of homeless has risen from yesterday’s number of 387,607. Perhaps 1 million are affected or displaced and in need of immediate relief. The official death toll for Indonesia remains at 94,081, with another more than 7,191 people missing. The Indonesian government says that the homeless are living in “refugee camps.” The Indonesian Ministry of Health says that the death toll comprises 93,841 from Aceh province, with some 240 from adjacent North Sumatra province. Another 1,609 have been reported injured. Hardest hit Aceh province (population estimated at 4.1 million), at the northern end of Sumatra Island, was only 93 miles (150 kilometers) from the earthquake’s epicenter. Some 30,000 have died in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh alone, the ministry reports. Worst hit areas in Aceh include the capital, Banda Aceh, at the very northern tip, and the northwest coast, a stretch of about 155 miles (250 kilometers) southeast from Banda Aceh. The 1999 population for the very northern tip of Sumatra around Banda Aceh was about 500,000. There were another 500,000 in the Aceh Barat region, including the city of Meulaboh on the northern part of the west coast and an additional 500,000 in the Aceh Selatan region, including the city of Tapaktuan, along the southern portion of Aceh Province’s west coast.

 

The government of Indonesia has begun laying the groundwork for four camps around Banda Aceh. The UN plans to provide tents and equipment for up to 500,000. There are an estimated 1 million left homeless in the area. Camps that have already been set up are overcrowded and lack proper facilities.

 

The UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Lee Jong-wook and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) director Carol Bellamy toured hospitals and makeshift clinics in Aceh’s provincial capital, Banda Aceh, today (Wednesday, January 5) and said that infected wounds and broken bones appeared to be the immediate health concerns in the province. Some of the medical staff say that infected wounds are turning gangrenous and forcing surgeons to amputate limbs. Staff members say the second biggest health problem was pneumonia. There are also a growing number of cases of diarrhea, but medical staff stress that the diarrhea cases were not linked to outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, or typhoid. Some doctors have expressed concerns of a possible malaria outbreak, as ideal breeding conditions for the disease were already bad in Aceh before the disaster. At least three of Aceh’s five hospitals are working, however shortages of beds have been reported, US officials say. The Associated Press reports that small clinics are opening across Banda Aceh as well.

 

US Seahawk helicopters continued to fly out from Banda Aceh’s airport to isolated areas along the west coast, and Seahawk wing commander Capt. Larry Burt, says aid drops were getting more efficient and 30 were planned for today (Wednesday, January 5). Badly injured survivors were continuing to be ferried back to Banda Aceh, with some being transported on by cargo planes to Medan. There are reports that some injured survivors have been making it into Banda Aceh on their own seeking help. US Navy Capt. David Lausman, the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln’s executive officer, says that Indonesian military and civilian officials were directing US crews to the villages that needed the most help. He says that survivors were beginning to “coalesce into makeshift refugee camps” and were organizing themselves in the unloading of aid, which is in contrast to earlier trips when villagers mobbed helicopters.

 

US helicopters reportedly flew into Medan to take some supplies away as there was reportedly an overwhelming amount of what was needed in the area, which was lending to the disorganization of supplies at the city’s airport. Supplies were reportedly being taken back to the USS Bonhomme Richard, in an effort to better distribute supplies to isolated areas. The airport in Medan remains congested.

 

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) says that the main road between Medan to Meulaboh is open for land transport, but an assessment may be needed as the security situation is not known. The ports of Belawan in Medan and Lhokseumawe in east Aceh province are the nearest operational ports for the transport of relief supplies.

 

Indonesia’s National Coordination Board for Disaster Management (Bakornas) says that the following are urgently needed: Oxygen, baby food, medical teams and supplies (including minor surgery sets, suction equipment, bronchoscopes, measles and anti-tetanus vaccines), as well as emergency tents, health post establishments, women’s sanitary kits, generator sets and communication items.

 

US Secretary of State Colin Powell took a helicopter tour over Banda Aceh and said that he has never seen such destruction. Powell says that he has a better understanding of the needs of Aceh and will report back to US President George W. Bush on the US can do more to help. Powell is among many other world leaders that will assemble in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta tomorrow (Thursday, January 6) for an emergency summit on tsunami relief.

 

Aid workers say that many more survivors along Sumatra’s isolated west coast were still cut off from most of the relief effort, with destroyed bridges and roads still perhaps some weeks away from being rebuilt. In some of the hardest hit areas in remote locations, Jan Egeland, the UN’s emergency relief coordinator, says that the death toll would likely reach “tens of thousands of further deaths.”

 

Some aid workers now saying the focus is turning to hard-hit Meulaboh, located 109 miles (175 km) from Banda Aceh and just some 93 miles (150 km) from the epicenter of the earthquake, where at least half the town has been reported destroyed. Officials estimate that up to 40,000 of the 120,000 people in the town were killed by the tsunami. Other estimates put the town’s initial population at 50,000. Damaged airport in the town reportedly cleared for use by small planes, enabling some supplies to reach the ground. The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) says it will make the town an aid staging post. Medical teams from Japan, Singapore and Spain are already present.

 

According to the Indonesian Health Ministry, the island of Simeulue, off the west coast of Sumatra had the largest number people living in camps with 73,015. Sinabang, another island off the north coast, was next with 72,002, followed by the north Aceh district of Bireuen. CARE says that Indonesian survivors had set up more than 175 camps around Banda Aceh, but many of the “camps” had no food and little clean water. Official figures say that some 17,720 are in camps in Banda Aceh.

 

In Lampaya, located some 15 miles (25 kilometers) west of Banda Aceh, there are reportedly some 1200 at a camp receiving food aid. Presence of Taiwanese doctors is also reported in the village. In Bireun village, located some 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of Banda Aceh, there are reportedly some 18,000 homeless. The local aid coordinator for the village says that Bireun had received only one aid delivery thus far and that it was not enough for the villagers. In Lhoknga, a small town of some 7,000 located 10 miles (15 kilometers) west of Banda Aceh had been cut off from the capital after bridges were destroyed. A reporter from Metro TV quoted local officials as saying that only about 100 of the town had been accounted for. In the town of Kuede Teunom, 8,000 of its 18,000 total population reportedly died.

 

Islands off the west coast such as Nias have reported some 66 dead from the disaster. There have been conflicting reports of the other offshore island of Simeulue, which was very close to the epicenter. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that five people were reported killed on that island.

 

Most flights to Banda Aceh originate from Medan on the east coast of North Sumatra province with some coming directly from Jakarta. Medan is closer to some of the devastated west coast areas than Banda Aceh.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has urged separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels to lay down their arms and help to rebuild the devastated province. Both the Indonesian government and GAM had declared unilateral ceasefires earlier last week. However, GAM leadership in Sweden say rebels still being attacked and accuse military of stepping-up operations. Anthony Banbury, Asia director at the WFP, says that he was concerned about the safety of WFP staff, especially in Aceh, and had doubled the number of security advisers to 8.

 

Domestic Response

 

Local Government

 

·       Disaster Management Centre being set up in Jakarta by Indonesian government to coordinate relief actions of all national and international actors. (Jan-5, UNJLC)

 

·       A convoy of trucks from the Indonesian military (TNI) has been provided to WFP and has left Medan for Singkill. From Singkill, the food aid is ferried to offshore islands. (Jan-5, UNJLC)

 

·       The Indonesian military (TNI) has some 20,000 troops on Sumatra for the relief effort. (Jan-4, AP)

 

·       The Indonesian military (TNI) is repairing a bridge and immediate road access down the west coast of the province. (Jan 3, IFRC)

 

·       Indonesian police have deployed around 800 officers to Aceh province to fill the posts of some 450 killed in the disaster, the Antara news agency reports. 300 are from the elite Mobile Brigade (BRIMOB) unit. (Jan 2, Kyodo). National Police chief Da’I Bachtiar says that the number may be inadequate so more troops may be deployed. The police will be stationed in emergency police posts across Aceh, set up to help return civil order to the province as many police stations were damaged or destroyed. On Friday (December 31) the Indonesian Defense Force said that some 517 soldiers had been killed in Aceh from the disaster.

 

·       The National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Relief and Refugees (BAKORNAS) will handle GOI agencies in the relief effort, while MEKOKESRA will handle international assistance. (December 30, US Consulate Medan)

 

·       There is an Indonesian disaster response command center in Medan near the airport. (Dec 30, US Consulate Medan)

 

·       The Indonesia government has laid out three-phase plan: Emergency measures through January 2005 followed by rehabilitation through February 2006 and reconstruction, also through February 2006. (Dec 30, Indonesian Mission to UN)

 

Local Organizations

 

 

 

 

 

International Response

 

Foreign Governments

 

·       Singapore has sent a helicopter air carrier that is scheduled to arrive on Thursday (January 6) and has offered assets to the UN. (Jan-5, UNJLC)

 

·       Russia has sent a planeload of some 20 tons of aid for Aceh and North Sumatra, says Russia’s Emergencies Ministry. (Jan-5, Xinhua)

 

·       European Commission (EC) contributions:

·       Belgium has sent relief materials.

·       Czech Republic has sent medical supplies and body bags.

·       Germany and France have sent additional experts on site.

·       France has sent a field hospital.

·       Denmark is supplying a field hospital and relief team.

·       Estonia has sent a medical team (thanks to transportation by the Netherlands).

·       Norway has made two C-130 Hercules military transport planes available to the Norwegian Red Cross and UN in a logistics support operation.

·       Through the International Humanitarian Partnership, transportation, accommodation and telecommunication assistance has been made available.

·       Portugal will send medical supplies, a field hospital and a medical team in order to set up an epidemiological monitoring system. (Jan-5, European Commission)

·       Military troops from the US, Australia, India, Malaysia, Germany and Singapore reportedly working to unload planes at Banda Aceh airport and then flying sorties to remote areas. (Jan-4, Reuters)

 

·       Japanese government sources say Japan’s Defense Agency is considering dispatching more than 800 Self-Defense Force members to Sumatra. An advance team will be sent shortly to assess the situation. (Jan-4, Kyodo)

 

·       Australia may announce aid package worth more than US$385 million later this week to restore infrastructure in Indonesia media reports. (Jan-4, AFP)

 

·       Singapore military medical unit, including surgical team, established in Meulaboh. Japanese and Spanish medical teams also reportedly established in the area. (Jan-4, Reuters)

 

·       The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group (includes four other ships and some 6,500 sailors and Marines) had arrived off Sumatra over the weekend (Saturday, January 1). However, as of Monday (January 3), it was reported that Jakarta is only allowing permission for US pilots to fly as far south as Meulaboh.

 

·       Meanwhile, the USS Bonhomme Richard and two other warships carrying a Marine expeditionary unit of some 2,200 Marines arrived in the area to join in relief operations. The Bonhomme Richard has at least 29 heavy- and medium-lift helicopters, along with three landing craft with the capability to launch people or equipment ashore virtually any kind of beach. Force also has 60-plus strong medical staff that can man four operating rooms, with a ward capacity for 60 patients. US airlift operations are continuing to be flown out of Utapao, a base in Thailand from the Vietnam War era.

 

·       Malaysia has opened up its airspace and two airports to UN and US relief operations. The UN’s World Food Program would use an airport in Sabang, located outside Kuala Lumpur, while the US has been permitted to use the Langkawi International Airport in the north to send aid to Aceh. Malaysia says it has also deployed aircraft and helicopters to help Indonesia transport supplies and victims from Aceh. Malaysia will also send a navy ship to Aceh this Wednesday (January 5).

 

·       Six Sea Stallion heavy transport helicopters and some 100 marines were being airlifted to Aceh from base in Hawaii. (Jan 3, Reuters)

 

·       Australia sending small Iroquois helicopters for landings in the worst hit areas. (Jan 3, Reuters)

 

·       Australian field hospital being flown to Aceh and amphibious ship with 100 engineers being sent for reconstruction. (Jan 3, Reuters)

 

·       Australian Army set up water purification unit in Banda Aceh and says that the city’s water supply had been partially restored but was “still sketchy” in some places.

 

·       The International Red Cross says that a lack of communications was hampering aid efforts and that Sony Ericsson was donating some 1300 phones and sending a team to restore communications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·       In addition to US, naval ships coming from Indonesia Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and India. (Dec 31, AFP)

 

·       US Navy may establish a field hospital around core NAMRU-2 staff in Meulaboh on the west coast as relief efforts build up in devastated city. (Jan 1, AP)

 

·       Japan sent twenty-two doctors and nurses for Indonesia and two disaster surveillance experts (Dec 30, AFP)

 

·       China sending a 100-odd member medical team to tsunami-ravaged Indonesia. Besides, a 35-member rescue team headed by Zhao Heping, deputy director general of the State Seismological Bureau, will leave for Indonesia. (Dec 30, Xinhua)

 

United Nations

 

·       World Food Program (WFP) says it is mobilizing helicopters and hovercraft to overcome rough terrain. WFP says it is setting up a logistics center in Bangkok to coordinate food deliveries. (Jan-5, Reuters)

 

·       UN Development Programme (UNDP) says it has begun to support national authorities in recovery planning. (Jan-5, UNDP)

 

·       World Health Organization (WHO) says that it is providing guidance to national authorities and other NGOs to ensure rapid recovery and rehabilitation of public health services. WHO is appealing for US$60 million to address public health needs. (Jan-5, WHO)

 

·       UNICEF says it has begun registering thousands of orphans in Aceh to protect them from human traffickers. UNICEF says at least one registration centre in Banda Aceh already operational. UNICEF also working with Indonesia’s government to set up child centers to help reunite children separated from their families. Ruud Lubbers, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, says that it is unclear if trafficking is occurring on a large scale, but “we are trying to prevent it.” Indonesian government says that as many as 13,000 children may have been orphaned.

 

·       UN Environmental Program (UNEP) says that Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment requested urgent assistance from UNEP in establishing an environmental crisis center in Jakarta, and to provide support in a field assessment as well as developing a plan of action. (Jan-5, UNEP)

 

·       UN Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT) says it is working with overall UN coordination system to prepare emergency and reconstruction proposals. (Jan-5, UN-HABITAT)

 

·       UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says some 7 staff, including experts in public health, water and sanitation, shelter and communications, have flown into Banda Aceh to join a team already in area. UNHCR also bringing in staff, vehicles and other equipment from elsewhere in Indonesia. (Jan-4, UNHCR)

 

·       WFP and UNHCR will begin two-day helicopter assessment of west coast of Sumatra. UNHCR will focus on providing shelter particularly to regions in the west. (Jan-4, UNHCR)

 

·       The UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC), which is setting up operations in Jakarta, said the UN was likely to request for more military help, particularly helicopters for Indonesia. The UNJLC says it will need 5 air traffic control units, fixed wing aircraft capable of short take-off and landing, 100 boats or landing craft and large cargo aircraft and fuel storage units. UNJLC adds in a report today that pirates remain a concern off the west coast.

 

·       The UN Disaster Management Team in Banda Aceh is continuing to coordinate relief activities among humanitarian agencies as well as information sharing. (Jan 3, IFRC)

 

·       CARE International says it is running 14 survivor camps in Aceh province. (Jan 3, Reuters)

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Humanitarian Relief Organizations

 

·       International Organization for Migration (IOM) technical team based in Jakarta’s Halim military airport to facilitate the loading of relief goods coming in from donors. (Jan-5, UNOCHA)

 

·       IOM started to assist displaced leaving Aceh for Medan and Jakarta. IOM has about 100 trucks shuttling between Medan and Banda Aceh. The logistical base in Medan is providing a logistical base for relief arriving from around the world. IOM Medan is working out of the offices of the BAKORNAS Indonesian disaster management agency. IOM’s Banda Aceh office reported largely undamaged. (Jan-5, UNJLC)

 

·       Save the Children says will be working in the districts of Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Pidie, Bireun, Aceh Utara, Aceh islands. The group will work with UNICEF, the Red Cross and others to start the registration of children. (Jan-5, Save the Children)

 

·       Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation will send 33,000 tons of rice and 3,000 large tents to Ace province. Indonesian government will provide helicopter to transport relief items to remote areas. (Jan-5, Tzu Chi Foundation)

 

·       British medical relief agency, Merlin, conducting emergency health assessments in Aceh province (Jan-4, Merlin)

 

·       Mercy Corps says has 19 workers on the ground and will deploy more to Aceh. Workers distributing relief supplies to over 10,000 families. Mercy Corps also says it has procured a warehouse and office space in Banda Aceh. (Jan-4, Mercy Corps)

 

·       Field Assessment and Coordination Teams (FACT) from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are active in Meulaboh and Banda Aceh. More Emergency Response Unit (ERU) members including a logistics delegate and a water-sanitation coordinator will be joining FACT some time next week. IFRC delegates from Britain, Australia, Spain and Iceland, Japan and Denmark are present in Medan, Meulaboh, and Banda Aceh. These delegates are working in conjunction with Indonesian Red Cross to train and mobilize local volunteers. Activities are expected to gather momentum over the coming weeks.

 

·       WHO reports 50 international aid groups arrived in Aceh to provide medical care on Sunday (January 2). WHO says will attempt to organize all groups and provide coordination. (Jan 2, AFP)

·       Association of Medical Doctors of Asia AMDA dispatched a coordinator from Headquarters in Japan, joined by 6 doctors (2 plastic surgeons, 1 anesthetist and 3 internists) from AMDA Indonesian chapter in Jakarta. (Dec 30, AMDA)

Sri Lanka

 

 

Overview………………………………………………….page 17

 

Domestic Response…………………………………….page 18

            Government

            Local Humanitarian Organizations

 

International Response…………………………………page 20

            Foreign Governments

            United Nations

            International Humanitarian Organizations

 

 

Sri Lanka Overview

 

Unprecedented international relief, along with US$15 million by Sri Lankan expatriates, continued to flow into Sri Lanka, with relief workers trying to get much-needed aid to affected areas. All totaled, Sri Lankan officials estimated that more than 100,000 houses and 26 schools were destroyed. In addition, the Ministry of Health stated that the tsunamis resulted in 10 hospitals were completely destroyed and those in Mahamodara, Galle, Kalmune, Nindavur, Kanthankudi, Palaminmadu, Kinniya, Kuchchaweli and Waruthankerni were devastated. The Daily News in Sri Lanka reported on January 4 that in order to cater to the existing requirements, the Health Ministry has taken steps to acquire government and private buildings to be used as health camps. The confirmed death toll from the tsunami disaster has reached 30,196 spread over 14 coastal and inland districts (out of Sri Lanka’s 25 districts). ReliefWeb reported on January 3 that 700,000 people in Sri Lanka were in immediate need of food, and of the 30,000 plus reported killed, nearly 12,000 of them are children. On Saturday, January 1, flash floods caused by heavy rains forced the evacuation of 10,000 people, in low-lying areas in the area of Ampara district. As of today (January 5), Agence-France Presse is reporting relief operations have resumed at full pace. The Sri Lankan Central Bank announced today that Sri Lanka had sustained an estimated US$1.3 billion in damage.

 

UNOCHA reports that the location of the affected areas causes an enormous logistical challenge to deliver needed relief supplies. Limited trucking and warehousing capacity is further complicating the relief effort. While central coordination mechanisms have been put in place, local coordination capacity remains weak. The lack of transportation and storage facilities is hampering the flow and management of relief efforts. The UN Joint Logistics Center (NJLC) reported today (January 5) that UN agencies and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) are still experiencing difficulties in mobilizing trucks for dispatching humanitarian relief. UNJLC also reports that off-loading of equipment in Colombo is recommended since all cargo must be inspected by the Govt. of Sri Lanka. Relief goods can be shipped to field areas by road or air. All other domestic airports are operational, but medium to small cargo planes or helicopters are recommended.

 

Of particular concern in all affected districts is the threat of outbreaks in water-borne diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Sunday, January 2, that there were increasing reports of diarrhea outbreaks in displaced settlements and called for continued preventive measures. On Tuesday, January 4, UNOCHA repeated their concern for water and vector borne disease. They stated the immediate priority areas of response are for water (including cleaning up and restoring water wells), sanitation, health, shelter, food and essential non-food items, and transportation means.

 

Key findings from the first comprehensive assessment of need was released by the UN today indicating that gaps remain in the needs assessments and that assessment efforts must continue to improve the planning and targeting of appropriate responses. The report states there is an urgent need to strengthen capacity for effective coordination in relief operations at the district level. Additionally, assessments need to take into account the situation of the overall affected population and provide them access to relief measures. There is also a need for appropriate shelter programs, tailored to meet specific needs of affected communities.

 

The UN Development Program (UNDP) is asking for a total of US$33.1 million in aid to provide support for the rebuilding of 12,000 households; provide short-term employment opportunities in the reconstruction/construction of a small scale fishery sector infrastructure; providing alternative livelihood training and establish new and/or expanded micro-finance systems that can facilitate access to credit for affected families requiring boats and essential equipment; restore critical small-scale infrastructure like agrarian and minor roads, minor irrigation systems, pedestrian bridges, minor drainage systems, community buildings; reduce the risk posed by landmines and Unexploded Ordinances in disaster-affected areas; improve access to information on different aspects of disaster recovery and risk reduction among affected communities; provide immediate capacity-building and equipment support to 60-80 Community Based Organizations (CBO's) and technical partners in the coastal areas; assist in the coordination and implementation of relief and recovery efforts by providing capacity support to the administrative and transitional mechanisms at the local, provincial, and national levels; and, assess damage to critically injured natural resource systems and undertake immediate actions for their recovery.

The following are the revised numbers for the affected districts:

 

District Dead Missing Injured Displaced Total Pop*
           
Colombo 76 12   16,139 2,234,289
Gampaha 7     32,000 2,066,096
Kalutara 213 102 421 34,356 1,060,800
Galle 4,141   2,500 120,000 990,539
Matara 1, 199 415 8,288 41,900 761,236
Hambantota 4,500     27,351 525,370
Ampara 10,436   120 183,527 589,344
Batticaloa 2,497 1,097 1,166 203,807 486,447
Mullativu 3,000 1,300 2,500 24,557 121,667
Trincomalee 957 335   51,863 340,158
Jaffna 2,640 540 541 48,729 490,621
Puttalam 3 1   1029 705,342
Vavuniya**       641 149,835
Killinochchi 560 56 147 49,129 127,263
           
Total 30,229 3,858 15,683 835,028 10,649,007

 

 

* From Census 2001

** Vavuniya district was not affected by the tsunami. Affected persons are included here are residents of Vavuniya who were in other districts.

 

Domestic Response

 

Local Government

 

 

 

 

 

·       All assistance at the district level is being coordinated by Government Agents, supported by UN interagency teams deployed to affected areas.

 

·       The Sri Lanka Ministry of Health is coordinating all medical supplies and skilled personnel. (Oxfam, Jan-01-05)

 

 

·       The Ministry of Health identified safe drinking water, proper sanitation, shelter, clothing, transport vehicles, and drugs and medical supplies as top priorities for response.

 

Local Humanitarian Relief Organizations

 

·       Sri Lanka Red Cross is assisting 40,000 people in 66 camps. Together with the Int’l Red Cross they have delivered household kits to some 60,000 people in the North and East. Each kit typically comprises a bucket, three bed sheets, two plastic mats, a cooking set, and soap. Others have received lanterns and clothing. (ReliefWeb 01-05-05)

 

·       The Cricket-Aid Fund has been set up to provide emergency relief and shelter to displaced families and orphans in the first phase, followed by permanent housing for 200 families in the long-term. (Reuters, Jan-05-05)

 

·       The Rangiri Dambulla Development Foundation has allocated a sum of Rs. 200,000 (US$1,935) to provide relief assistance. (Colombo Page, Jan-04-05)

 

·       Oxfam in Sri Lanka will spend over Rs. 500 million (US$4.8 million) over a period of two years to rehabilitate affected areas. (Colombo Page, Jan-04-05)

 

 

 

 

International Response

 

 

Foreign Governments

 

 

 

 

 

 

(ReliefWeb, Jan-05-05)