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Indonesia

Indonesia: Earthquakes West Sumatra Province OCHA Field Situation Report No. 1

Ref: OCHA-2007/0025

OCHA Field Situation Report I
Indonesia - Earthquakes
West Sumatra Province
06 March 2007

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. A 6.3 Magnitude earthquake, struck West Sumatra Province, on Tuesday, 6 March 2007, at 10:49 hours local time affecting Tanah Datar, Solok, Padang Pariaman, and Padang Panjang districts. The epicentre was located approximately 16 kilometres southwest of Batusangkar in Tanah Datar District. The most affected area is Solok, some 96 km northeast of Padang, the capital city of West Sumatera. The media reports that tremors have been felt in several cities in Padang, Riau and Pekanbaru, as well as in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

2. The second earthquake occurred at 12:49 hours; with the epicentre at approximately 11 kilometres southwest of Batusangkar.

3. Current casualties reported by the SATKORLAK PB are as follows:

No.
Location
Death person
Injured person
1
Tanah Datar District
16
-
2
Solok District
19
65
3
Solok Municipality
8
-
4
Padang Pariaman District
14
-
5
Padang Panjang District
10
-
6
Bukit Tinggi District
1
11
7
Payakumbuh District
1
-
TOTAL
69
76

4. Local authorities and media reports indicate that hundreds of houses have been destroyed, including a school and a bank. Some schools and government offices were closed right after the earthquake in anticipation of aftershocks. The electricity in the affected areas is cut off.

5. The local media reports difficulties in communication in the affected areas, however, PT Telkom reports that there has been no damage to communication networks caused by these earthquakes.

II. NATIONAL RESPONSES

1. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has instructed armed forces and police to mobilize personnel and heavy equipment, as well as The Department of Social Affairs and the Coordinating Ministry of People's welfare to provide food and medicine. A ministerial BAKORNAS coordination meeting will be held tomorrow, 7 March.

2. BAKORNAS PB deployed two staff to monitor the field condition, conduct a rapid assessment and facilitate the coordination of relief efforts in collaboration with SATKORLAK PB West Sumatra, SATLAK, armed forces, the Department of Health and other Government institutions. BAKORNAS PB has provided IDR 50 million to SATKORLAK PB in response to the disaster.

3. Armed forces have set up field kitchens, health services and field tents, as well as a field hospital in Solok District to assist the affected persons. It has also deployed two teams of troops to provide emergency response assistance.

4. The Indonesian Red Cross has mobilized a SATGANA team (Disaster Response Team) to establish communication flows and work in close coordination with local SATLAK PB on the damage and needs assessment. The team is also prepared to provide additional support to the affected branches.

III. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES

1. An inter-agency team of UN staff will arrive in the area on first available flight to assess the situation. The team includes UNICEF, WHO, OCHA, IOM, and WFP.

2. The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Bo Asplund, announced that the UN stands ready to support the Government of Indonesia in response to this earthquake.

3. An UNDAC Team was placed on stand by a few hours after the earthquake and it is ready to be deployed if required.

4. A number of donor representatives in Jakarta have informed OCHA Indonesia that they remain ready to assist if needed.

5. The UN HC/RC Office in Jakarta will continue to monitor the situation through direct contact with pertinent government and non-government institutions, as well as with the Indonesian Red Cross.

MAP: Indonesia: Earthquake in Sumatra (as of 6 Mar 2007) - Situation map

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
Titi Moektijasih, Tel. +62 21 314 1308, Mob. +62 811 87 39 97

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

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

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