Geneva,
13 September 2007
On 12 September 2007 an earthquake measuring
8.4 on the Richter Scale hit 105 km south west of Bengkulu , Sumatra,
Indonesia, shaking Southeast Asia, collapsing buildings, killing at
least five people and injuring dozens in Indonesia. A second quake
of 7.8 the following day, 13 September, shook the very same area of
Sumatra. Tsunami warnings were issued
for wide areas of the region and nations as far away as Africa.
However, the quakes only triggered small non‑destructive tsunamis
off the coastal city of Padang on Sumatra, the Indonesian island ravaged by the 2004 tsunami
disaster. A rise in the sea water level of 1 – 2 metres off Mentawai
island caused 200 households from Seay Baru and Sikakap to flee into
the nearest hills in anticipation of a bigger tsunami.
The official death toll is currently
9 persons while 24 persons are seriously injured. Casualties appear
low at present, but officials warn that bad communications may be
hiding the scale of impact.
Already by the afternoon of 12 September
(local time), dozens of injured people had flooded the only hospital
in Bengkulu which also had been severely damaged by the earthquake.
All the treatment rooms in the hospital were badly damaged forcing
treatment of patients outdoors. Medical teams, medicine and large
tents are needed in order to assemble an emergency field hospital
and clinics, mostly in remote areas of Bengkulu Utara district.
ACT member Yayasan Tanggul Bencana
di Indonesia (YTBI) were immediately in contact with the Christian
Church of Southern Sumatra (GKSBS) and the Protestant Christian Church
in Mentawai (GKPM) to obtain information on the impact of the quake.
YTBI is sending their Rapid Response Officer to the area to conduct
an assessment and facilitate provision of emergency relief through
GKSBS which is conducting an assessment in two of the most remote
locations in the affected area: Sibelat and North
Bengkulu. YTBI has allocated IDR 7.5 million (USD 833)
for this and a further IDr 10 million (USD 1,111) to GKPM to carry
out assessments.
ACT member
Church World Service (CWS) Indonesia
is ready to release material aid from their pre-positioned warehouses
and is currently preparing to send a team to the affected area with
50 tarpaulins at the request of YEU as many of the injured and other
survivors are staying outdoors in fear of more quakes.
ACT member Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU)
was in immediate contact with local doctors in Bengkulu to assess
the situation in the health sector. YEU has also provided support
to the local GKSBS synod. An assessment team from Medan
is currently on its way to Bengkulu. YEU is also collaborating with
the emergency medical personnel of Yogyakarta
and Sardjito public hospitals in sending a medical team to the Bengkulu
Utara district to help in providing medical services to the affected.
Pusat Rehabilitasi Yakkum is also sending an assessment team to focus
on potential disabilities and provide physiotherapy to the injured
survivors.
The latest news from GKPM Mentawai
reports that almost all the houses as well as schools, churches and
mosques in the coastal areas have been destroyed or sustained damages.
Sikakap harbour has been destroyed and some roads and bridges can
no longer be used. Almost 50% of government building were destroyed
in Tuapejat and houses heavily damaged. In this area people fled
about four kilometres inland from the coast. They have, however,
received some support in the form of tents and limited food supplies
from the Government.
The situation is similar in Siberut with
some school buildings and houses destroyed. Almost all the residents
in this area have fled to nearby mountainous areas. Tents, lighting,
food and medicine are urgently needed.
GKPM has notified local authorities of
the most urgent needs of the survivors, however, there is no means
of transportation at the moment and boats are currently not permitted
to sail out to Mentawai island due to bad weather conditions. Some
support from the army and navy is now to be expected.
Members of the ACT Forum Indonesia
are closely co-ordinating and a more detailed update will be released
once information is received from the assessment teams in the field.
A Rapid Response Fund request
and/or appeal proposals may be forthcoming. The ACT Coordinating Office
is awaiting indications from the ACT members in Indonesia.
