CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICE
SITUATION REPORT: INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE (SUMATRA)
June 7, 2000



SITUATION: The death toll from the June 4 earthquake that hit the western
Indonesian island of Sumatra now stands at 117 and is expected to rise,
authorities said.  At least 700 were injured. Most of those killed were
crushed by collapsing buildings while they slept. Thousands remain
homeless. Relief assistance has begun to arrive in the region. Relief
efforts are being hampered by heavy rains and flooding, the BBC reported.
Rescuers were searching for additional victims in rural areas.

The worst-hit area was the city of Bengkulu (pop. 150,000), 60 miles east
of the quake's epicenter, and officials estimated preliminary damage at $6
million, with thousands of homes, buildings and schools damaged or
destroyed, Reuters reported.

The quake measured 7.9 on the Richter scale, and was one of the most
powerful earthquakes in recent Indonesian history.


CWS RESPONSE: CWS staff in Indonesia continues to monitor the situation in
Sumatra. It is likely CWS would support an appeal by the Action by
Churches Together (ACT) International network.

Last month, the CWS office in Indonesia responded to another earthquake,
on the island of Sulawesi. CWS sent $25,000 in blanket funds to assist
5,000 survivors of that earthquake. CWS also sent $25,000 in blanket funds
for efforts by the CWS office in Indonesia to assist survivors from recent
flooding in West Timor, as well as members of local communities. The
survivors are living in camps that have been used for refugees from the
political violence in East Timor.

Call the CWS HOTLINE for updates: (800) 297-1516, ext. 111.

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is
responding, contact CWS Emergency Response.

Telephone: (212) 870-3151
After-hours emergency pager: (800) 780-0853
Internet Web Site: http://www.ncccusa.org/CWS/emre
ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org


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