OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Indonesia: Earthquakes
West Sumatra Province
7 March 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This report is developed by HC/RC Office in Indonesia based on 
information provided by the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG), 
National Coordinating Board for the Management of Disaster (BAKORNAS 
PB), Provincial Coordinating Unit for the Management of Disaster 
(SATKORLAK PB) West Sumatera, District Coordinating Unit for Management 
of Disaster (SATLAK PB) Solok, Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and media 
reports.

I. SITUATION

1. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing in the affected areas following 
the Richter Scale 6.3 (USGS) earthquake that hit Indonesia's West 
Sumatra province on 6 March. The power supply, telecommunication network 
and roads in some affected areas remain disrupted. Many people have fled 
their homes, fearing aftershocks. The Coordinating Minister of People's 
Welfare, the Minister of Social Affairs and the Minister of Health 
convened a meeting with local authorities after visiting the affected 
areas. The latest data presented at the meeting indicates that 73 people 
have died and 194 people were injured. The Cabinet Secretary said the 
dead toll has been revised down to 52 persons.

2. Free medical service will be provided to the affected communities. 
Twenty schools have been damaged, and 3,617 houses have been damaged. 
The affected areas are Solok District, Solok City, Tanah Datar District, 
Padang Pariaman District, Agam District, Limapuluh Kota District, 
Payakumbuh City, Padang Panjang City, Bukit Tinggi City, and Padang 
City.

3. BAKORNAS PB held a coordination meeting today with UN agencies and 
relevant ministries to discuss the coordination mechanism for 
international assistance. At this stage, the Government of Indonesia 
(GoI) is mobilizing its resources at the local and national level, and 
welcomes but is not calling for international assistance. Any 
international assistance is to be reported to BAKORNAS PB. (The contact 
people for BAKORNAS PB are Mr. Fatchul Hadi, Head of Planning and 
Cooperation Bureau, at +62 816 163 4360, and Mr. Untung, Director for 
Logistics and Equipment, at +62 812 830 6112.)

4. The Ministry of Health (MoH) reports that injured people are being 
treated in local hospitals, including Dr. M. Jamil Padang, Payakumbuh, 
Yarsi and A. Mochtar Bukittinggi, Batusangkar, Solok, Tanah Datar, and 
Padang Panjang. As A. Mochtar Hospital in Bukit Tinggi has been damaged, 
medical services are being given outside the building. The total number 
of inpatients is 148 and outpatients total 125. Provincial and district 
health offices are monitoring the health situation.

5. The power supply in Solok District has been cut off and communities 
are remaining outside their homes for fear of aftershocks. However, the 
air force airport 'Tabing' and the commercial airport 'Minangkabau' are 
in good condition. Medium-size aircrafts, such as Boeing 737 and 
Hercules C-130, are able to land in these two airports. BMG does not 
recommend sea transportation due to current weather conditions.

6. Local media have reported that the communities had received trainings 
from the government on disaster preparedness, which has helped them to 
react to this earthquake. The UN Technical Working Group and BAKORNAS PB 
had conducted contingency planning exercises in the area in 2006, which 
has proven a resource at the present time.

II.  NATIONAL RESPONSES

1. The Ministry of Health has dispatched a rapid assessment team and has 
sent 100 foldaway beds, 2 platoon tents, 2 emergency kits and 10 tonnes 
of supplementary food for infants. The West Sumatra Provincial Health 
Office has deployed 3 medical teams: 1 team from M. Jamil Hospital in 
Padang to Solok City and District, 1 team from Pariaman Hospital to 
Tanah Datar District, and 1 team from Achmad Muchtar Hospital in Bukit 
Tinggi to Padang Panjang City.

2. PMI has made emergency relief items available in its warehouse in 
Padang for immediate distribution. The emergency relief items include 
1,000 family kits, 2,000 blankets, and 2,000 tarpaulins. From its 
warehouse in Jakarta, PMI has sent medicine for 2,000 people and 17,700 
water purification tablets. PMI is joining an assessment mission 
conducted together by UN agencies, the Netherlands Red Cross and French 
Red Cross. Volunteers in the neighboring provinces of Riau, Aceh and 
North Sumatra have been notified and are on stand-by for immediate 
deployment if and when required.

3. PMI's disaster response team, SATGANA, is in the field to conduct a 
rapid assessment and has provided relief items, including 20 tarpaulins, 
100 blankets, 2 set of field kitchen, 2 platoon tents, 1 generator, and 
30 body bags. Two ambulances have also been dispatched.

4. Various private sector outlets in West Sumatra are providing 
assistance, including food, non-food items, school supplies, tents, 
medicine and medical workers.

III. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES

1. The Dutch government has pledged EUR 1,500,000 (USD 2 million) in aid 
for victims of the earthquake. The development minister, Bert Koenders 
said the aid would include equipment, medicine, medical care and 
logistical support distributed via the Red Cross and the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM).

2. USAID has provided USD 50,000 for the emergency relief effort. 
Several foreign donor organizations have indicated their intention to 
provide assistance, including CIDA, ECHO and the government of Spain.

3. Medicines du Monde (MdM) has sent a team to the heavy hit area of 
Solok, including 2 doctors, 3 nurses, and 2 logisticians, as well as 2 
tonnes of medical kits. Action Contre La Faim (ACF) has also sent 2 
watsan specialists, 2 logisticians, 1 nutritionist, as well as 1.5 
tonnes of watsan equipments. MSF Belgium is sending one nurse, and as 
well as medical supplies, food and non-food items. Tzu Chi has provided 
food and non-food items to Solok City, Solok District and Tanah Datar 
District.

4. UNICEF will deliver 30 school tents, 20 water bladders, 500 hygiene 
kits, 50 cooking sets, 4 boxes of water purification tablets, 500 jerry 
can, 50 bottles of Air Rahmat (water purification liquid) from its 
warehouse in Medan to Solok District.

5. WHO, in close cooperation with MoH, is monitoring the health 
situation. Emergency trauma kits are on stand-by for immediate shipment. 
Further health professional are also on stand-by and ready for 
deployment if required.

6. Based on information received from the field, the Humanitarian 
Coordinator has requested a stand down of the UNDAC team, which was put 
on standby. OCHA has also contacted the Indonesian Missions in New York 
and Geneva to offer assistance, and stands ready to make an emergency 
cash grant available to the United Nations Resident Coordinator in 
Jakarta.

This situation report and maps of the affected areas are available on 
OCHA's Reliefweb: http://www.reliefweb.int


For detailed information please contact:

UN RC/HC Office Jakarta
Fax:  +62 21 319 00 003
Mr. Abdul Haq Amiri, Tel. +62 21 314 1308, Mob. +62 812 108 7277
Laksmita Noviera, Tel. +62 21 314 1308, Mob. +62 811 84 08 20

Desk Officers:
  NYC - Ms. Kirsten Gelsdorf, Tel. +1 917 367 2174, Mob. +1 617 470 9014
  GVA - Mr. Erik Kastlander, Tel. +41-22-917 1587

Press contact:
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Tel. +1-917 367 5126
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Tel. +41-22-917 2653

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