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Indonesia Central Java Earthquake Update

 

June 6, 2006

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

Overview.....................................page 2

Domestic Response……………page 3

International Response………..page 6

Sectors……………………………page 17

 

 

Overview

 

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck Indonesia’s Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces on the island of Java on May 27 at 5:53 AM local time (Friday, May 26 at 22:53 UTC), killing thousands of people and causing widespread loss to infrastructure and property. According to the USGS (US Geological Survey), the quake’s epicenter was 10 miles (15 kilometers) south of Yogyakarta at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers). The districts of Bantul, Klaten, Sleman and the city of Yogyakarta are among the worst affected in terms of loss of life. As reported by UN OCHA, Indonesian officials have revised the number of dead downward. As of today (Tuesday, June 6), the official death toll reportedly provided by BAKORNAS stood at 5,857, in contrast to 6,234 reported earlier. The number of injured currently stands at 37,229. According to BAKORNAS, 84,643 houses have been completely destroyed, while 323,282 have suffered some damage. Per OCHA, GOI has issued a deadline for its staff to reconcile and finalize its figures for dead, injured, hospitalized, displaced, as well as figures on damage to housing and infrastructure by June 14. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), which is supporting Indonesia’s Ministry of Health (MoH), patients are being treated in 48 hospitals, plus field hospitals, health centers, and mobile clinics. The World Health Organization (WHO) says infectious disease remains a risk because of the crowded nature of the affected area, but the UN agency was not expecting an epidemic. According to media reports, GOI has revised upward its number of homeless to more than 343,000. However, the estimates for displaced people are still being assessed. Family tents are needed to accommodate the homeless. Most of the displaced are reported to be living in makeshift shelters. The need for IDP site management at informal camps in Klaten and Sleman is becoming critical as these are already packed, and additional Merapi evacuees continue to arrive each day. GOI officials say some 200,000 tents were needed for temporary shelter.

 

Downed electric and telephone services have been almost completely restored. Some 450 of the 457 transformers are back online, while remaining seven are being repaired. According to WFP overall logistics infrastructure is sound. Both Solo and Yogyakarta airports are open. Yogyakarta airport remains close at night for some repair work on the main runway. All main supply routes are passable. However, heavy vehicular traffic on the roads is causing some delays. Trucking and warehousing continue to be the main logistics concern. Close cooperation between WFP, IOM, Atlas Logistique and IFRC continues to generally meet these challenges.

 

The Indonesian government has declared a state of emergency and has allocated US$115 million for relief efforts. US$10 million will be used for emergency response, while the other US$105 million will be used for rehabilitation and reconstruction. The National Development Planning Agency Republic of Indonesia (BAPPENAS), in conjunction with the World Bank is conducting damage and loss assessment to be presented to the Consultative Group on Indonesia due to meet on June 14 in Jakarta. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has reportedly moved his office to Yogyakarta to monitor relief efforts on the ground closely. The Indonesian government has not formally issued a call for international assistance, however, it is welcoming international assistance. According to media reports, some GOI officials have hinted that unlike in Aceh, no special agency for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the quake-affected areas would be established. According to OCHA, the GOI plans to shorten the period of emergency response and start early recovery after one month. (June 3, OCHA) The UN estimates quake-hit areas will take up to two more weeks before being out of the emergency phase of recovery, but survivors will need help for many months after.

 

Both domestic and international relief supplies have begun to arrive in the affected area. Antibiotics, anesthetics, orthopedics, food, water, blankets and tents are the most urgent needs. BAKORNAS is coordinating international relief assistance at the country level, while the provincial-level Disaster Management Board (SATKORLAK) is working at the provincial level. A 7-member United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team is divided into 3 sub-teams under the leadership of Rajan Gengaje. The United Nations on Friday, (June 2) launched a US$103 million Emergency Response Action Plan for the earthquake-affected areas to cover the immediate needs for the next six months. According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), half of the funds should go toward emergency shelter. More than 50 international and indigenous relief NGOs are on the ground. At least 22 governments have responded with financial assistance, in-kind material assistance and relief personnel. Charlie Higgins, UN team leader in Yogyakarta, says that the Indonesian government should be able to handle the aid situation without the UN taking a lead role.

 

Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said that it had recorded several aftershocks of around magnitude 4 overnight, each lasting about 30 seconds, causing some residents to panic. Some residents remain on edge following the 6.3-magnitude earthquake last Saturday (May 27) and because of nearby Mount Merapi, which has threatened to have a major eruption over the past few weeks. Aid workers say a major eruption of Merapi could possibly displace one million people. Merapi has shown increased activity since the quake. Dome of volcano has now swelled to 330 feet (100m), raising fears that it might collapse and could send searing-hot clouds of gas and debris pouring down the slopes into inhabited areas. The lava dome, which currently stands at about 3 million cubic meters (3.92 million cubic yards), is growing more than 100,000 cubic meters (130,000 cubic yeards)a day. Merapi activity alert remains at the highest level. The Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard has recommended nearby communities to be evacuated to avoid the danger of pyroclastic surges.

 

Domestic Response

 

Local Government

 

Search and rescue operations are over, but medical treatment for survivors continues. (Jun-04, OCHA) GOI plans to shorten emergency response and start early recovery after one month. (Jun-03, OCHA)

 

BAKORNAS (National Coordinating Agency for Natural Disaster and Refugees Relief) chaired by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, taking lead role in supporting provincial and local authorities in emergency response. (Jun-02, IFRC) BAKORNAS has opened official Media Center located at Yogyakarta’s Adisucipto Airport. (Jun-03, OCHA)