OCHA Situation Report
Indonesia: Earthquakes
7 April 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Overview

Seven aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 4.9 to 5.6 were recorded 
in the Nias region and Simeulue on 7 April. No reports of damage have 
been received. Please find attached the list of aftershocks in the 
region since March 28.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) visited both Nias and Simeulue 
today. While in Nias he met with the Vice-Governor of Northern Sumatra 
to discuss issues related to food distribution and logistics. In 
Simeulue he met with the Bupati (Head of the Local Authority) and 
discussed how the United Nations can best support the Government's 
response efforts. The HC raised his concern for the safety of civilians 
at the port of Sibolga due to the increase level of activity there. The 
HC also commented on the excellent coordination between the Government 
and the humanitarian community working on the islands.

While challenges still remain with the internal distribution of relief 
items on both Simeulue and Nias the situation is gradually improving as 
roads are being cleared and more sea and air assets are made available, 
delivering essential goods such as food and shelter as well as medical 
equipment.

Teams working in the affected areas have identified an urgent need for 
increased communications equipment.

Updates

SIMEULUE

Overall Situation

The district Government is beginning to resume its activities and 
coordination between the administration and the humanitarian community 
is reported to be good. The Head of the Local Authority in Simeulue is 
planning to travel around island to encourage people to return to their 
homes. SATLAK is continuing to collect information on the numbers of 
displaced, their locations and their conditions. SATLAK is also carrying 
out further damage assessments.

Shelter

Non food items are now arriving in large quantities and are being 
distributed in Sinabang and surrounding areas. Difficulties in 
distribution to the more remote areas are being overcome by use of 
boats, such as those provided by AusAID.

Water

A team of water engineers from THW have arrived and they will work with 
UNICEF and IRD to provide an emergency water supply to Sinabang and to 
IDP camps in the area.

Health

Normal health services are now being provided in Sinabang, while 
emergency services are being provided in all other areas except the most 
remote sub-districts. Assessment teams are currently carrying out 
assessments of these areas and will return on Saturday.

Food

Care and WFP are working together with the local Government to develop a 
food distribution plan for the entire island. Distribution of 2 weeks' 
supply of food was completed in sub-district of Simeulue Timor on 7 
April.

Logistics

A member of the UNDAC team is carrying out a GPS mapping of road and 
bridge damage along the west coast of the island.  This information will 
be shared with the relevant partners, including TNI to assist them in 
their ongoing repair operations. TNI are currently concentrating on 
Sinabang and are reported to be making good progress with debris 
clearing and cleaning.  In many areas outside Sinabang local people are 
carrying out emergency road repairs; however, these roads are not yet 
suitable for vehicles.

Coordination and Operations

The SurfAid team in Simeulue has distributed WHO medical supplies to the 
local Indonesian Red Cross. They have also started to distribute relief 
items via boat to the north-western coastal districts.

A WFP 300-tonne ship arrived in Sinabang on 7 April and its currently 
being offloaded.

A CARE vessel, carrying WFP food, left for the north of Simeulue where 
they plan to distribute food rations.

UNICEF continues to assist with water and sanitation needs in Sinabang.

The NGO Concern offloaded a 20-tonne water tanker today.

NIAS ISLAND

Overall Situation

The UNDAC team reports the situation is generally improving on Nias, 
with adequate food distribution and no reported nutritional problems, an 
increasingly reliable health system and improving provision of shelter. 
The UNDAC team also reports that while people are now sleeping outdoors, 
many people return to their homes during the day to use washing and 
sanitary facilities. While it remains problematic to reach the remoter 
parts of the island, several NGOs and the Government are dedicated to 
accessing those areas with all available means to provide assistance.

AusAID civil engineers have arrived to conduct assessments for a period 
of 2 weeks throughout the island, making use of the existing assessments 
available.

The government reports that 632 people are confirmed dead and 2017 
people are listed as missing.

Logistics

Sea:

It remains problematic to receive cargo coming from Medan without proper 
identification at the source and upon arrival. All agencies and NGOs 
shipping supplies to Medan or Sibolga are requested to clearly mark 
consignments with the name of the providing organisation and a brief 
description of contents. This supports the prioritisation process and 
ensures that supplies are delivered to the correct receiving 
organisation. A list of deliveries will be updated daily by UNJLC in 
Medan and Nias, and is available at the OCHA office in both locations. 
There are continuing problems with insufficient sea transport in 
Sibolga, leading to congestion of goods at the port.

WFP is currently off-loading a ship at Sirombeu; however, the shore line 
has risen and damaged the jetty as a result of the earthquake, which is 
causing long delays in offloading the goods. Distribution of the cargo 
will be carried out by Caritas/CRS. A second ship has offloaded 50 tons 
of food in Lahewa. Additional WFP ships are scheduled to arrive in the 
coming days, carrying a total of 2,000 tons of rice and oil. SurfAid 
reported similar problems with off loading relief supplies in Sirombeu.

Air:

The USS Mercy Ship has collected HLZ (Helicopter Landing Zones) from all 
pilots and surveyed all sites for future use by larger helicopters. This 
information will be shared with all humanitarian actors.

USAID/OFDA-funded AirServ began air services from Banda Aceh to Nias 
this week beginning April 5.  The King Air plane flies twice a day six 
days a week.  In addition, an AirServ helicopter will begin operations 
in Nias on Monday, April 11.  This helicopter will be primarily used to 
aid with small medical missions operating in remote areas of the island. 
If needed, the helicopter can also be used for similar purposes in 
Simeulue.  Details are being worked out with UNJLC.

Road movement:

Agencies wanting to coordinate with IOM regarding needs for road 
transport need to do so with 48 hrs advance notice.

Sectors

Health

The request for medical referrals, or Medivac, is decreasing on a daily 
basis, now standing at approximately 10 a day. There are some reports, 
however, indicating that people are refusing Medivac for fear of having 
to bear the costs of treatment. Of the 28 existing Health Centres, 24 
have now been allocated among various NGOs to provide support. The 
Russian hospital, located at the airport in Gunung Sitoli, is reported 
to have treated approximately 60 patients since it opened. Priority on 
health assistance is now shifting to recovery and targeting assistance 
in camps.

WHO reported that there are sufficient stocks of medical supplies on the 
island. The issue of distribution of these supplies still remains a 
challenge. Surveillance feedback from sub-districts on malaria or other 
diseases should be forwarded as quickly as possible to WHO. The 
malaria-health group will meet on Saturday morning (9 April) for 
discussions with the Head of Provincial Health Services. BAKORNAS 
reported that there are 5 diarrhoea cases in RSU Gunung Sitoli and 1 
suspected case of measles. IOM reported that 9 people have returned from 
Medan to Nias after being evacuated for medical purposes.

Food

WFP is seeking additional food distribution partners with the aim of 
accelerating food distribution. The logistics constraints remain 
problematic.

Water and Sanitation

There is close coordination between OXFAM and PDAM, with OXFAM sending 
additional water supplies to Lahewa on 8 April. A new delivery system is 
being worked out in Gunung Sitoli and all water requirements should be 
directed to the PDAM office. All water tanks that have been delivered to 
the island were installed and are now operational. OXFAM is to start 
another assessment on 8 April for water needs and requested information 
from partners who have conducted assessment previously. Mapping of water 
tanks in Gunung Sitoli is now available.

Currently it is essential that all water should be boiled while waiting 
for drinking water to arrive in a few days. IMC report receiving several 
hundred health kits including water treatment systems and is now seeking 
implementing partners.

SurfAid observers have identified a lot of asbestos amongst the 
destroyed houses and have recommended that the asbestos should be 
cleared as a matter of priority to avoid its leaching into the water 
table

Watsan coordination meetings are held Mon. and Thurs. 10:30 at PDAM 
office.

Shelter

The sectoral working group is addressing some procedural issues related 
to distribution (regarding early distribution made by GoI). Preliminary 
data is available for all shelter partners and is being updated through 
the distribution of forms to all agencies concerned to provide accurate 
information on distributions. UNICEF has also joined the shelter sector 
group.

Coordination and Operations

SurfAid International consolidated its new operational and logistics 
base in Sirombeu on the Nias west coast today, moving emergency supplies 
ashore to a new warehouse. The supplies of rice, noodles, water, 
high-energy biscuits and insecticide-treated mosquito nets along with 
medical supplies will be distributed throughout the Sirombeu district 
over the coming week. An emergency team today left the Simeulue Island 
capital of Sinabang for the north-east coast carrying emergency supplies 
including rice, water, tents, tarpaulins and medical kits.

A SurfAid/AusAid medical team from the Katika was dropped by helicopter 
into the remote village of Hiliotalua where three more critical cases 
were identified for medical evacuations. The three villagers were 
airlifted out by a UN helicopter.

The USS Mercy commenced medical services on 7 April. They have 4 
helicopters available to transfer patients that cannot be treated in 
Gunung Sitoli. A team of technicians from the ship will also work on the 
repair of hospital equipment and services in the city, such as the x-ray 
unit

Bilateral assistance

Nothing significant to report.

For further information please contact:

Oliver Lacey-Hall
Officer-in-Charge, OCHA Indonesia
Tel. +62 21 314 1308
Fax. +62 21 319 00 003
Mobile  +62 811 825 278

Iain Disley
Reports Officer
Tel.  +62 21 314 1308
Fax.  +62 21 319 00 003
Mobile  +62 812 10 50 835

USGS list of aftershocks since 1 April 2005


MAG    DATE     UTC-TIME    LAT     LON    DEPTH    region

                y/m/d     h:m:s                deg     deg     km

  5.5  2005/04/08 01:51:39   0.743   97.394  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  5.5  2005/04/07 19:43:09   2.940  126.442  10.0  MOLUCCA SEA
  5.0  2005/04/07 16:40:53   1.256   97.158  23.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/07 16:29:42   2.623   96.481  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  5.6  2005/04/07 11:46:05   0.630   97.361  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.8  2005/04/07 05:36:52  -8.291   67.597  10.0  MID-INDIAN RIDGE
  5.3  2005/04/07 02:21:25   1.245   97.190  23.3  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/06 23:19:43   2.046   96.794  29.6  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.4  2005/04/06 21:46:20   0.675   97.363  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.5  2005/04/06 12:02:28   2.925   96.282  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  5.6  2005/04/06 11:20:10  -3.979  102.353  76.1  SOUTHERN SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  4.8  2005/04/06 10:11:32   2.183   96.335  28.2  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.6  2005/04/06 07:44:13   1.449   97.135  26.4  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.6  2005/04/06 02:04:27   1.322   97.184  25.6  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  5.1  2005/04/06 00:28:06 -56.164  146.331  10.0  WEST OF MACQUARIE ISLAND
  4.7  2005/04/05 22:20:10   1.107   97.323  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.6  2005/04/05 19:27:40   2.342   96.236  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/05 16:47:09   0.127   98.903  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.4  2005/04/05 14:48:39   0.197   96.974  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/05 13:01:56   2.444   96.339  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/05 12:52:49   1.340   97.161  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.5  2005/04/05 10:27:31   3.550   96.167  30.0  NORTHERN SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  5.2  2005/04/05 09:37:23   1.906   96.951  25.3  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/05 08:54:54   0.477   97.117  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.8  2005/04/05 08:43:33  -1.176  120.380  30.0  SULAWESI, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/05 07:12:34   0.159   97.230  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.8  2005/04/05 06:36:50   1.041   97.220  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.8  2005/04/05 02:28:00 -24.166  179.671 538.5  SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS
  4.9  2005/04/05 02:19:33   5.271   94.284  30.0  NORTHERN SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  4.5  2005/04/05 00:42:50  -0.236   96.980  30.0  SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  5.1  2005/04/04 21:00:46   1.893   97.742  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  5.3  2005/04/04 19:37:11   4.811   94.783  51.3  OFF THE WEST COAST OF

NORTHERN SUMATRA

  4.9  2005/04/04 13:09:40  -5.886  105.476  30.0  SUNDA STRAIT, INDONESIA
  4.6  2005/04/04 08:05:00   0.943   97.340  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.6  2005/04/04 07:04:43   1.261   97.164  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.8  2005/04/04 06:31:10   0.968  120.077  10.0  MINAHASA, SULAWESI,

INDONESIA

?     2005/04/04 04:49:31 -38.790  175.130 213.0  NORTH ISLAND OF NEW
       ZEALAND
  5.6  2005/04/04 04:33:50   1.625   97.902  61.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.8  2005/04/04 04:26:51   2.847   96.364  28.6  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.3  2005/04/04 02:12:45   6.501  123.602 588.5  MORO GULF, MINDANAO,

PHILIPPINES

  4.3  2005/04/04 00:55:01   0.651   97.502  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/03 22:31:54   1.038   97.427  46.1  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.4  2005/04/03 22:01:37  -0.296   96.962  30.0  SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  4.5  2005/04/03 20:20:20   2.878   96.216  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/03 17:11:27   1.035   97.241  35.7  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.8  2005/04/03 16:39:03   2.942   96.280  27.6  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/03 16:21:52   2.231   96.250  26.7  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.6  2005/04/03 16:10:19   2.730   97.450  30.0  NORTHERN SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  5.2  2005/04/03 14:42:51   9.875   93.712  31.3  NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA

REGION

  4.6  2005/04/03 13:40:17   1.126   97.199  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  5.0  2005/04/03 12:21:20   2.995   96.250  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/03 11:16:47   2.850   95.882  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  5.1  2005/04/03 10:20:48   1.167   97.117  24.1  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.8  2005/04/03 04:06:47   2.391   96.213  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  6.3  2005/04/03 03:10:59   2.024   97.950  56.2  NORTHERN SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  5.6  2005/04/03 01:41:32  13.570  120.805 124.0  MINDORO, PHILIPPINES
  6.0  2005/04/03 00:59:23   0.358   98.344  38.4  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.4  2005/04/02 23:10:45   2.961   96.246  27.3  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  5.0  2005/04/02 22:17:28   2.430   92.979  32.3  OFF THE WEST COAST OF

NORTHERN SUMATRA

  4.6  2005/04/02 21:31:48   1.436   97.361  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/02 18:45:22   0.705   96.939  25.2  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.6  2005/04/02 17:07:05   2.832   96.509  26.4  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  5.2  2005/04/02 16:24:14   2.861   96.347  27.5  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  5.2  2005/04/02 15:21:18  -0.399   96.961  22.8  SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  4.3  2005/04/02 11:49:16   1.903   96.631  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.4  2005/04/02 11:38:33   0.071   97.923  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/02 09:28:01  -0.792   97.946  30.0  KEPULAUAN BATU, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/02 07:59:16  -5.234  145.704  78.2  EASTERN NEW GUINEA REG,

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

  4.5  2005/04/02 07:09:23   1.112   97.127  23.5  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/02 05:55:06   2.306   96.134  22.1  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
   ?   2005/04/02 04:58:11 -38.690  176.150 101.0  NORTH ISLAND OF NEW

ZEALAND

  4.3  2005/04/02 04:25:12   0.768   97.413  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  5.2  2005/04/02 03:39:05  -1.718   99.764  30.0  KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI

REGION, INDONESIA

  5.0  2005/04/02 03:37:24   0.844   97.365  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.6  2005/04/02 02:58:32   1.228   97.120  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/02 02:07:51 -44.370  169.870  12.0  SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW

ZEALAND

   ?   2005/04/02 01:47:58 -38.000  176.540 144.0  NORTH ISLAND OF NEW

ZEALAND

  4.5  2005/04/02 01:26:23   0.370   97.970  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  5.2  2005/04/01 22:20:18  -0.364   96.944  30.0  SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  5.6  2005/04/01 20:32:38   0.339   98.113  31.3  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/01 19:21:52  13.179   92.775  30.6  ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA

REGION

  5.1  2005/04/01 17:24:41   1.237   97.190  27.4  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/01 16:45:43  -4.702  153.054  69.0  NEW IRELAND REGION, PAPUA

NEW GUINEA

  4.7  2005/04/01 16:35:39  -0.310   96.913  30.0  SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  4.6  2005/04/01 15:32:17   0.227   98.055  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  5.0  2005/04/01 15:27:28   0.106   97.264  33.9  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  5.0  2005/04/01 14:50:41   2.704   96.956  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.8  2005/04/01 12:21:23   1.815   97.723  30.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.7  2005/04/01 11:46:41   2.136   96.712  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/01 11:42:49   1.469   97.159  25.0  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
  4.9  2005/04/01 10:58:34   2.869   96.348  27.1  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  5.4  2005/04/01 10:37:46   2.884   96.348  27.2  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  4.6  2005/04/01 07:58:20   5.657   94.443  30.0  NORTHERN SUMATRA,

INDONESIA

  5.0  2005/04/01 07:40:27   2.295   96.378  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
  5.0  2005/04/01 05:55:57   2.316   96.420  30.0  SIMEULUE, INDONESIA

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