OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Indonesia: Sidoarjo Gas Pipe Explosion
23 Novmeber 2006


This report is based on information received from the UN 
Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator's Office in Jakarta and on information 
provided by the National Coordinating Board for the Management of 
Disasters (BAKORNAS PB), the Provincial Coordinating Unit for the 
Management of Disasters (SATKORLAK PB) East Java, the Indonesian Red 
Cross (PMI), UNICEF East Java, and media reports including the East Java 
Information and Communications Office, Sidoarjo district.

I. SITUATION

1. PERTAMINA (National Oil and Mines Company) gas pipe under the 
embankment of the Sidoarjo mudflow blasted last night, 22 November, at 
around 8:15 pm, near the center of the mudflow in Porong.  The explosion 
caused blazing fire nearly 50 meters high and damaged the embankment 
nearly 50 meters wide, spilling mud 2 to 3 meters high into the Gempol 
(Surabaya) - Porong (Sidoarjo) toll road.  The fire has been contained 
and no explosions were reported in other parts of the pipeline network.

2. BAKORNAS PB reported that the explosion killed nine people, left five 
missing and 11 injured, who are currently at the Sidoarjo Public 
Hospital and at the Sutomo Hospital in Surabaya.

3. Media reported that the explosion caused a decrease in the supply of 
PERTAMINA gas to PLN, the state-owned electricity company, and 
Petrokimia Gresik, a fertilizer company in East Java.  It has been 
announced that some parts of Jakarta will suffer blackouts; meanwhile, 
Petrokimia Gresik has halted operations.  The head of the National 
Mudflow Mitigation Team cited the decrease of land level up to 5 meters 
in the area as the main cause for the blast.  The Sidoarjo District head 
urged the National Mudflow Mitigation Team to force the relocation of 
all infrastructures, including all PERTAMINA pipes, surrounding the 
mudflow area.

II. NATIONAL RESPONSE

4. The Search and Rescue Teams with support from the Military and Police 
personnel, continue the evacuation process.

5. Four Ministers (Manpower, Energy and Mineral Resources, Environment, 
Marine Affairs and Fisheries) traveled today in the morning to the area 
for a coordination meeting with the National Mudflow Mitigation Team, 
together with the East Java Governor, the East Java Police Chief, the 
Sidoarjo District head, and the PT Lapindo Brantas General Manager. 
Following the meeting, the Ministers visited the injured people at the 
Sidoarjo Public Hospital.

6. The BAKORNAS PB Deputy for Disaster Management and one staff traveled 
to Sidoarjo this afternoon to assess the situation and conditions.

7. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will convene a special cabinet 
meeting today to discuss the reports from the Ministers that deployed to 
Sidoarjo and coordinate immediate and comprehensive response.

III. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

7. In July, upon request of the Ministry of Environment, a United 
Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team was deployed 
with five environmental experts to identify the environmental impacts of 
the mudflow. In addition, an expert was deployed to provide further 
assistance with the implementation of the recommendations. The report 
with the technical findings, conclusions and recommendations can be 
found at: http://ochaonline.un.org/DocView.asp?DocID=5098

8. The UN RC/HC Office in Jakarta will continue monitoring the 
situation, in close contact with pertinent government and 
non-governmental institutions, and PMI.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34 Fax: +41-22-917 00 23 E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officer:
  Mr. Meier, Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1159
  Mr. Rene Nijenhuis, Direct Tel.  +41-22-917 1815

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Direct Tel. +1-212-963 87 40

Field Office: Indonesia
  Mr. Abdul Haq Amiri, Direct Tel. +62 213141308
  Mr. Titi Moektijasih, Direct Tel. +62 213141308

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