CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
CWS SITUATION REPORT: INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE
May 27, 2006


SITUATION: Thousands have died in a powerful earthquake on the central 
Indonesian island of Java in the most serious disaster to hit Indonesia since 
the 2004 tsunami.

As many as 3,500 are believed dead - with the death toll still rising - from 
the magnitude-6.2 quake, which was centered near the ancient city of 
Yogyakarta, 250 miles east of the capital, Jakarta.

In a update today, CWS Indonesia reports that "remote places have not been 
visited as yet, increasing the fear that death toll might even go up more."

Local hospitals treating the wounded, CWS reports, are crowded with people: 
"Due to the number of the patients and the limited capacity of the hospitals, 
most of them (are being) treated in the hospitals' corridors and terraces; 
there is a great need of more medical staff and drugs as well as surgery 
equipment to treat the wounded patients."

The epicenter of the quake was a mere 50 miles south of the Mount Merapi 
volcano, where Church World Service and other aid agencies have responded to 
displacement caused by threats from the volcano. Though it was not known if the 
recent volcanic activity and the quake were linked, there are fears that the 
earthquake and its after-shocks could trigger a potentially large eruption.

Unfounded rumors of another tsumani caused hundreds to panic and flee to higher 
ground.

The hardest hit area of the quake was Bantul, where houses, hospitals and other 
buildings were flattened, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported. 
Two-thirds of the fatalities occurred in Bantul, government officials said.


RESPONSE:

As part of an initial response, CWS:

:: Has provided 500 blankets to Bethesda Hospital, in Yogyakarta, which is 
receiving many of the injured. CWS is assessing immediate needs in Bantul, and 
preparing to begin the distribution of food and non-food items.

:: On Sunday (May 28), CWS plans to distribute 500 food packages (which include 
biscuits and noodles), as well as water, in districts of Bantul. Tents, 
blankets, CWS Health and Baby Kits, are also expected to be distributed as 
needed, in the coming days. The CWS office in Medan is preparing to send a 
number of Hygiene and Health Kits to the affected areas as soon as logistics 
are sorted out.  As well, CWS with its partner Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), will 
be assessing needs for provision of water and sanitation assistance.

:: Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU), a CWS partner, is evacuating injured children 
to Tegalyoso hospital in Klaten, while another partner agency, Yayasan Tanggul 
Bencana, is providing staff to help coordinate the distribution of food and 
medicine. CWS and partner agencies in the Action by Churches Together (ACT) 
network are expected to issue an appeal outlining longer-range relief work in 
the coming days.


For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is 
responding please visit the Church World Service Website at 
www.churchworldservice.org or phone (800) 297-1516.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts: (212) 870-3151;

Program Director: donnajderr@churchworldservice.org
International: flumeya@churchworldservice.org
Domestic: lreedbrown@churchworldservice.org

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