OCHA Situation Report No. 2 Indonesia - Floods 27 November 2000
The Government of Indonesia welcomes international assistance 1. The torrential downpour which has been pounding the Indonesian island of Sumatra since last week is having dire consequences. The rain has triggered floods in Aceh and North Sumatra and has caused further flooding, accompanied by landslides, in West Sumatra and neighbouring Riau and Jambi. No official information concerning casualties or the full extent of damage is available to date. However, the latest media reports indicate that over 100 people have been killed or are missing and that the number of victims is likely to augment. The floods and landslides have also damaged paddy fields and physical infrastructure including roads, bridges, electricity and telephone lines. 2. The Government of Indonesia held its first inter-departmental meeting on the afternoon of 27 November and is currently reviewing data on flood damage. 3. The Government meeting was followed by a meeting between UNDP, OCHA and representatives from BAKORNAS PB. It was in the course of this meeting that the government official informed that the number of casualties remained uncertain. The Secretary of BAKORNAS PB mentioned at the meeting that the Government of Indonesia would accept international assistance. The most urgently needed items are medicine, shelter/tents, rubber boats, emergency kits and food. Financial support for transportation of the relief materials would also be required. 4. On 29 November the Indonesian Government will dispatch teams led by the Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure for Aceh and by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare for North Sumatra, to provide relief assistance in the form of tents, food and medicine, and to conduct the repair of water systems to ensure access to clean water. TNI, the Indonesian military armed forces, will provide an aircraft for emergency transport, and 14 rubber boats for relief assistance in Aceh. 5. The UN Disaster Management Team (UN-DMT) in Jakarta is planning a third meeting (subsequent to those held on 24 and 25 November) in order to review the situation. 6. OCHA is in close contact with the Office of UN Resident Coordinator in Jakarta and will revert with further information when it becomes available. 7. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34 Fax: +41-22-917 00 23 In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10 Desk Officers: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack / Mr. R. Mueller / Mr. S. Matsuka Direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 44 / 31 31 / 40 34 Press contact: (in GVA) Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53 (in NY) Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32 distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -