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
July 13, 2005
Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font.
Table of Contents:
Overview......................................page 2
Indonesia.....................................page 3-6
Sri Lanka.....................................page 7-10
Thailand.......................................page 11-14
Overview
· The overall focus of attention is on long-term recovery and rehabilitation for the December 26, 2004 earthquake and tsunami disaster. The death toll from tsunamis triggered by the undersea earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the west coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island was 232,010 (Jun-22, Reuters) people along the coastal areas of 11 countries in the Indian Ocean. Over 1.7 million are reported to be homeless.
· Tsunami-related deaths were recorded in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. The loss of life was particularly severe in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Nearly 166,000 dead and missing are from Indonesia. The dead and missing toll in Sri Lanka climbed to nearly 39,000. In India, at least 10,672 died in Tamil Nadu State and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The death toll in Thailand is around 5,400, including about 1,953 foreigners from at least 36 countries. More than 400 combined deaths have been reported in the other countries.
· Coordination:
· Indian Ocean Earthquake-Tsunami Flash Appeal Expenditure Tracking: http://ocha.unog.ch/ets/Default.aspx
· International Assistance:
· Jan Egeland, the UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said on April 6 that the UN was raising its initial appeal of US$977 million to US$1.086 billion. (Apr-6, Reuters) Egeland says that in an unprecedented response, about US$11 billion in total had been pledged by some 90 donor nations. (Jun-24, Reuters) Reuters also reports however, that government and multilateral agencies have pledged about US$6.9 billion in aid while private donations amount to almost some US$5 billion. (Jun-27, Reuters)
· UN agencies, at a meeting organized by the UN Development Program (UNDP), said on May 25 that countries hit by the disaster will take at least 5 to 10 years to recover. (May-23, AFP)
· Food: WFP expects to feed about 800,000 people in Indonesia for at least another year; in Sri Lanka, about 915,000 people are being fed—distributions will discontinue in August and will give way to targeted and recovery-oriented approaches; in Thailand, WFP providing food assistance to some 26,000 people.
· Health/Medical: WHO estimates 500,000 people were injured. There were scattered reports of diarrhea, malaria, dengue, measles, pneumonia, tetanus and skin infections, but no outbreaks.
· Security: A fifth round of peace talks between the GAM and Indonesian government being held in Helsinki, Finland. A Dutch foreign aid worker with the Indonesian aid organization, Center for the Study of Child Protection, was shot and wounded on Thursday, July 8 in Aceh. Sporadic clashes between TNI and GAM in Aceh; Ongoing clashes in Sri Lanka’s east.
Indonesia
Organization
Overview …………………………………………………………page 4
Sectors……………………………………………………………page 4
Overview: Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel leaders have welcomed “surprising” advances at the second day of a fifth round of peace talks with the Indonesian government in Helsinki, Finland. Bakhtiar Abdullah, spokesperson for the GAM, said that both sides already managed to cover all the points in a draft peace treaty and were now prepared to discuss suggested changes. “It’s amazingly surprising that we managed to discuss all the issues already yesterday [Tuesday]. Now we can discuss the new draft today,” Bakhtiar said. Talks are being mediated by the Helsinki-based NGO, Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), headed by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari. A spokesperson for the CMI, Maria-Elena Cowell, said that “a few points have been reformulated” in the draft, but did not elaborate. Although hopes are high for a peace deal to emerge from the talks, a key sticking point between both sides may prove to be a damper. GAM rebels earlier this week had given up a key issue, saying that they had dropped their demand to separate from Indonesia. However, the GAM is demanding that Indonesia allow for the establishment of local political parties in Aceh, a request Jakarta has consistently rejected. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier said that Jakarta would accept that former rebels run in local elections for mayor, district heads and deputies, and vice governor, but he ruled out allowing local parties, saying Indonesian law only recognized national political parties. Today (Wednesday, July 13), Jakarta said it would not back down from its stance. Chief Security Minister Widodo Adi Sutjipto said today that the government position was still “firm.” GAM spokesperson Bachtiar said: “If they (want) an agreement I think this is one of the crucial issues that has to be resolved. Otherwise, there will be no agreement.” Despite the key sticking point, both sides have sounded optimistic about reaching a lasting peace in the province. If talks go well, it is hopeful that both sides would sign a peace deal in August. The current round is scheduled to last through Sunday (July 17).
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Sector Status |
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Affected Population |
The death toll stands at 131,029, with some 37,000 others reported to be missing.
The Aceh Central Bureau of Statistics says that 7,000 surveyors will launch a population census in Aceh to more accurately gauge how many died from the disaster. Aceh had a population of 4.2 million people, according to the 2003 national census. (July-5, AFP)
The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) says that there are over 500,000 IDPs in Aceh and over 22,000 in Nias. In Aceh, about 250,000 are staying in tents, while about 150,000 are in temporary government shelters. The remaining 100,000 are either staying with host families or are rebuilding their homes. (Jun-19, GoI) |
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Coordination |
The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR-Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi) for Aceh and Nias will oversee reconstruction. The agency will be headed by former mines and energy minister Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, who will manage the approximate US$4.84 billion fund for reconstruction. (May-9, Reuters, BBC)
The GoI has collaborated with NGOs and donors to initiate the construction of the website, e-Aceh, in response to the need for transparency and coordination of reconstruction. (www.e-aceh.org) |
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Logistics |
UNJLC Sumatra Assessment Team is visiting different locations in Sumatra to collect information about logistics capacities. (July-13, UNJLC)
Road conditions between Banda Aceh and Meulaboh continue to cause concern, UNJLC reports. A Road Assessment Team will be dispatched soon to carry out a detailed assessment. (July-13, UNJLC)
For logistical information see: http://www.unjlc.org. |
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Food |
WFP will phase out general food distribution on Nias at the end of July. (July 13, UNJLC)
WFP expects to feed up to 800,000 people for another year. (June 22, Reuters) |
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Water and Sanitation |
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Public Health/Medical |
West coast lost some 50-70 percent of its health services. (Jan-24, The Age) Tsunami destroyed 30 health clinics out of 240, seriously damaged 77, and caused minor damage to 40 others. (Jan-18, UNJLC) |
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Shelter |
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Infrastructure |
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that almost 290 temporary market stalls have been handed over in Banda Aceh in a bid to revive local livelihoods. By the end of the program, some 2,000 local merchants will have regained businesses destroyed by the disaster. Another 650 stalls are being built on Nias that was damaged by the March 28th earthquake. (July-8, IOM)
116,880 houses were destroyed or damaged in 2,496 villages throughout 17 affected regencies (kabupaten) from a total of 21 in Aceh. Of these, 57% were destroyed and 12% sustained major damage. The total amount of settlement areas affected by the tsunami amounted to 173,673 hectares (429,200 acres), of which 35% of the villages were completely destroyed. (Jun-19, GoI, IOM) |
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Security |
A Dutch aid worker was shot and wounded while traveling in an unmarked car from Medan to Meulaboh on July 7. Sporadic clashes between TNI and GAM continue. Fifth round of peace talks underway in Finland. |
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International Financial Assistance |
The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) reports it has raised some US$1.3 billion to help victims in Indonesia. (July-1, Indonesia-Relief.org)
GOI put the December tsunami/earthquake losses at US$4.5 billion. The Consultative Group on Indonesia, made up of 30 international lenders, pledged US$1.7 billion in tsunami aid for 2005, consisting of US$1.2 billion in grants and US$500 million in soft loans. GoI will accept the offer of a debt moratorium from the Paris Club. The total debt on which repayment will be delayed is US$2.6 billion. (Mar-14, Tempo Interactive) Indonesia has some US$48 billion in foreign debt to donor countries under the Paris Club. (Mar-14, Xinhua)
The World Bank says that about US$500 million has been raised from foreign donors for reconstruction thus far. The Steering Committee of the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Aceh and North Sumatra will manage the funds. (Jun-26, AFP)
BRR head Kuntoro says that around US$2.8 billion is ready to be spent on reconstruction projects in Aceh, out of which about US$1.9 billion had come from international and private sector donors. (Jun-25, Reuters) Indonesian House of Representatives on June 4 approved 8.2 trillion rupiah (US$863 million) for fiscal year 2005 for Aceh and Nias (Jun-12, GOI) |
Sri Lanka
Overview…………………………………………………..page 8
Sectors…………………………………………………….page 8
Overview: At least 9 people were wounded from alleged Tamil Tiger rebel attacks in the northeastern district of Trincomalee on Tuesday, July 12. The fresh violence came a day after the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) warned of a return to war, following Sunday’s (July 10) killings of four LTTE cadres, which the LTTE blames on the government. The LTTE says the killings were a serious breach of a Norwegian-brokered 2002 ceasefire, however, the government has denied responsibility for the attack. Trincomalee was reportedly shut down in protest following a strike called by a pro-rebel organization. LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan in a letter to truce monitors on Monday (July 11) from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), warned that the country could slip back into civil war and accused the government of provoking the rebels. “It appears to us that the government and its forces are taking actions to break the ceasefire agreement and to force a war on our nation,” he said in the letter.
Also on Monday (July 11), the Sri Lankan government agreed to put army troops and foreign truce monitors aboard buses used by the country’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels for travel, in an effort to salvage the country's fragile ceasefire. Jayantha Dhanapala, the Secretary General for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP), said although it was not the government’s responsibility to provide security for LTTE cadres in transit, it had decided to provide security as a Confidence Building Measure (CBM). He said under the agreement, the government would provide security for LTTE cadres for one roundtrip from Kilinochchi to Batticaloa and from Kilinochchi to Trincomalee, once a month. In addition, he said buses carrying LTTE personnel would also have Sri Lankan army troops and Scandinavian truce monitors on board. The move was in response to an ultimatum by the LTTE last month (June 30th) that if the government failed to provide security for its cadres within 14 days, it would be compelled to make its own security arrangements. The rebel ultimatum, which threatened the ceasefire, came after a bus carrying 40 LTTE cadres narrowly escaped a landmine explosion on June 30th. The LTTE has accused the Sri Lankan military of helping a breakaway faction, led by renegade commander Colonel Karuna, to launch attacks against them.
Separately, on Wednesday (July 13) the Tamil Tiger rebels reportedly threw a grenade at a security post in a pre-dawn attack at a tsunami relief camp in Matur area, some 9 miles (15 kilometers) from the eastern district of Trincomalee, injuring three soldiers and a child. Brigadier Daya Ratnayake, a spokesman for the military, said that since Tuesday (July 12), seven grenade attacks and one shooting incident had taken place. He blamed the LTTE for the attacks. The LTTE has denied it had any role in today’s (July 13) incident. It is important to note that following the killing of a senior LTTE leader on Sunday (July 10), the LTTE had threatened to resume their military action.
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Sector Status |
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AffectedPopulation |
Sri Lanka has combined the figures for its dead and missing into one figure for dead and presumed dead and missing. The combined total stands at 38,940. (Jun-22, Reuters) Of the total, approximately 5,000 have been declared missing. (May-3, DPA) The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that some 518,698 people remain displaced with most living with relatives and friends, some in “collective accommodation centers” or in camps. UNICEF says that according to the GoSL, 800,000 people were initially displaced. |
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Coordination |
The Task Force for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) has established a Helpline to provide information and provide queries of tsunami-affected in the country. The line will have people to provide assistance in Sinhala, Tamil and English. (July-7, UNOCHA)
Joint mechanism deal, officially known as the Post-Tsunami Operations Management Structure (P-TOMS) to allow committees from the LTTE, the government and Muslims to discuss and monitor tsunami aid projects.
The Task Force for Relief (TAFOR) will collate and analyze data, coordinate and facilitate relief measures connected to healthcare, education, foreign donor assistance and food relief. TAFOR will be based and managed from the Ministry of Defense. Another task force, Task Force for the Reconstruction of the Nation (TAFREN), has been given responsibility of spearheading reconstruction, assessing the damages, and coming up with a master plan to rebuild infrastructure. Food relief will be channeled through the Ministry for Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation (RRR) together with Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES). Responsibilities connected to IDPs, Transit Camps, and liaison with the District Secretaries will be the task of the CGES. (Feb-9, UNJLC)
For further information, check the TAFREN website at http://www.tafren.gov.lk/ or the CNO website at http://www.cnosrilanka.org/ The Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation’s website, www.mrrr.lk contains additional information.
Information on many NGO activities can be obtained from the following link: http://www.humanitarian-srilanka.org/ (under Tsunami 2004 Information Center) |
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Logistics |
For logistical information see: http://www.unjlc.org. |
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Food |
WFP says it is feeding some 915,000 people. Food distributions will discontinue in August and will give way to targeted and recovery-oriented approaches. (Jun-27, WFP) WFP says targeted feeding currently reaches 260,000 mothers and children through Maternal Child Health projects and 144,000 children through school feeding programs. (Jun-27, WFP)
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Water andSanitation |
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Public Healthand Medical |
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Shelter |
World Bank in Sri Lanka found about 90,000 homes fully or partially destroyed. The Bank has allocated initial US$40 million for permanent housing cash grants. (June-2, World Bank)
TAFREN chair Mano Tittawela said that 7,000 permanent houses have been completed and said that 80 percent of the required permanent housing for the displaced will be completed before the end of this year. (July-7, GoSL)
IOM says it has finished about 2,000 transitional homes as of this week. IOM reports that the GoSL has said more than 40,000 transitional houses island-wide have been completed, but 20 percent do not meet minimum standards. (Jul-12, IOM) |
Infrastructure |
SP Thamilselvan, chief of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said that more than US$1 billion was needed to rebuild Tamil areas ruined in the disaster
A total of 77,561 houses have been damaged or destroyed by the tsunami, including 41,393 houses that were completely washed away, according to the Census and Statistics Department. (Apr-29, Daily News)
The Minister of Agriculture says that direct damage to the farmers of the tsunami was some US$3.5 million. |
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Security |
Violence continues in the east |
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International Financial Assistance |
On Tuesday (July 12) Margot Wallstrom, vice president of the European Commission, inspected Sri Lanka’s tsunami relief and recovery efforts funded by the European Commission (EC). The EC’s Humanitarian Aid Department had provided more than US$30.42 million to the country since a February 2002 truce was signed between the government and LTTE. (July-12, AFP)
Officials say that international donations and debt relief have reached some US$3 billion over a period of three to five years, nearly twice as much as what the government has estimated it will cost to rebuild. (May-20, Reuters)
The government has estimated that it will cost up to US$1.6 billion to rebuild infrastructure destroyed or damaged. The so-called Paris Club of rich creditor nations in March offered to freeze Sri Lanka’s $300 million in debt payments until the end of 2005. The government has said it wishes to see that extended for three years. (May-11, AFP) The Paris Club has agreed to allow the deferred payments to be repaid over five years, with a one-year grace period. Sri Lanka owes the Paris Club some US$4.6 billion. |
Thailand
Overview. ………………………………………………. page 12
Sectors……………………………………………………page 12
Overview:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has set aside US$1.7 million for Thailand, to help develop long-term solutions for tsunami-affected areas, especially Krabi, Phuket and Phang Nga. Funds will come from the Asian Tsunami Fund, which was set up by the ADB in February with an initial contribution of US$600 million. (July-12, Phuket Gazette)
Tourism authorities say that the country is not expected to reach its tourist target of 13.4 million arrivals this year and has already lost some US$716 million (Bt30 billion) in revenue. (July-8, The Nation)
Assistant Army chief, Lertrat Rattanavanich, told a seminar on the drafting of the national disaster prevention plan yesterday that Thailand is not ready in terms of manpower, materials, money, management and technology to deal with disasters and should have a national anti-disaster command center and public safety systems of its own, the Bangkok Post reported. (July-14, Bangkok Post)
US Secretary of State Condoleeza on a short visit to Thailand, praised the country on its recovery from the tsunami. (July-12, Phuket Gazette)
Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai says the Cabinet has approved in principle a UN proposal to set up its regional Emergency Logistics Response Facility (ELRF) in Thailand. (July-8, The Nation)
Sector Status |
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Affected Population |
Latest death toll issued by the Thai Ministry of Interior Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) is at 5,395, while 1,175 bodies remain unidentified. The number of Thai deceased is at 1,972 and foreign nationals at 2,248, with another 1,175 of unknown nationality. Number of missing is at 2,817. Of those, 1,924 are Thais. (May 13, UN) According to the Thai Tsunami Victim Identification Centre (TTVI) the current database reports some 785 persons missing (516 Thais and 269 foreigners) but there are some 1,976 bodies in the two TTVI sites. Officials say that migrant workers could account for this discrepancy and they are checking databases of registered migrants. However, many migrant workers are unregistered. (Jun-27, The Nation)
Search teams from Germany, France and Nordic countries, which suffered the highest losses at Khao Lak, have been sent to search for bodies. Experts from 16 international countries have identified 1,710 bodies in the world’s largest forensic operation. (Jun-20, Reuters) The Disaster Victim Identification Centre (DVI) has some 2,076 bodies awaiting identification, while another 3,319 have been identified. (UN, June-13) The government has decided to send some 2,000 DNA samples of unidentified foreigners to the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) in Sarajevo, Bosnia
The Tsunami Action Group (TAG), a migrant advocate group, and the Law Society of Thailand have estimated that between 700 and 2,500 Myanmar migrant workers went missing. Many of them were not officially registered, and do not appear to be included in the official list of the killed. (June-8, Amnesty International) Other estimates have the number at 1,000 to 7,000. (Jun-27, Irrawaddy) TAG puts the number of dead at upwards of 6,000 to 7,000. (Jun-27, Irrawaddy)
There appears to be no efforts to track down missing migrants, although there are reportedly 2,000 unidentified bodies of foreign workers. (June-8, Amnesty International) Official records show 30,572 Myanmar people registered last year to work or stay in Phang Nga, however aid groups say this probably only represents a third of the real total. (Jun-20, Reuters)
The Bangkok Post reports that the fishing industry in Ban Nam Khem wants Myanmarese migrant workers who were deported by Thai authorities after the tsunami disaster to come back as the low-paid workers are vital to economic recovery. (July-12, Bangkok Post)
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Coordination |
Due to Cabinet member changes, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has ordered the following changes to government coordination of tsunami relief: (May-7, TNA)
o Rebuild homes, infrastructure and revive tourism - Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop will stay in his current position. o Pol. Gen. Chidchai Vanasatidya, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, will oversee the assistance program o Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam will be responsible for donations o Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Newin Chidchob will be responsible for helping owners of fishing trawlers o Justice Minister Suwat Liptapanlop will oversee repair of damage caused by the tsunami (May-7, TNA)
The government has provided assistance to tsunami victims totaling nearly US$9 million (355, 727,050 baht).
According to a former chief of the Meteorology Department, Smith Tumsaroch, Thailand will complete the establishment of its disaster early warning system in all parts of the country integrally over the next two years and will cost nearly 140 million baht (US$3.4 million). (Jun-29, TNA) Thailand’s National Disaster Warning Center, the first among tsunami-affected countries, formally opened on May 30. In the first phase, it will focus on earthquakes and tsunamis before extending to other disasters. (May-31, Bangkok Post) |
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Logistics |
For logistical information see: http://www.unjlc.org. |
Food |
WFP says that it is providing food assistance to some 26,000 people. (Jun-27, WFP)
The FAO says that it will start a second phase of assistance when the emergency phase is completed next month. The FAO, in collaboration with the Japanese government, has provided aid to the 6 affected provinces. (Jun-29, The Nation)
Large-scale shrimp hatchery operators in tsunami-affected provinces say they may soon face bankruptcy due to trade barriers from the US and European Union. Assistance was granted to shrimp farmers some 6 months after the disaster and the financial assistance was reportedly too small for large operations. (July-11, The Nation) |
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Water/Sanitation |
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Public Health/Medical |
Public Health Ministry says that number of patients suffering from malaria and dengue fever has increased to nearly 2,000. The ministry will provide mosquito-resistant clothes to rubber tappers free of charge to help prevent spread. (July-4, TNA) |
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Shelter |
Government will step up the building of temporary and permanent houses following criticism that housing was being poorly constructed. (Jun-29, TNA)
Some complaints that military-built housing was poorly constructed. (Jun-26, The Nation) |
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Infrastructure |
Ministry of Interior reports 3,833 non-residential buildings damaged, but 2,430 can be repaired. (May-27, UN) |
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Security |
The US, Britain and Australia have issued travel warnings to its citizens, advising against non-essential travel to the south. Insurgency violence continues in three southernmost provinces (Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani). Australia renewed its warning on June 29. (Jun-29, The Nation) |
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International Financial Assistance |
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