MGEAP1: INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #1:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001666 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP, CA STATE FOR USAID USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA CCHAN, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, AND RMT USAID FOR ANE KROSEN BANGKOK FOR ADWYER NSC FOR CPRATT GENEVA FOR NKYLOH PACOM POLAD/J3/J5 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV CASC ECON EAID SENV ID PHUM AEMR ASEC CASC MARR, PREL, PINR, AMGT, EAID, AQ, LA, RP, TN, VM, WS SUBJECT: MGEAP1: INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #1: ARRIVAL OF USAID/DART -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. In response to the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that occurred off the coast of Sumatra Island, Indonesia, the U.S. Government (USG) has begun providing humanitarian assistance to support Government of Indonesia (GoI) response efforts. Nine members of the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) have arrived in country, and six of these individuals are currently in Padang. The humanitarian community continues to receive conflicting reports of the number of people killed and affected by the earthquake, as well as the structural damage inflicted by the quake. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) are providing humanitarian assistance to affected populations. End summary. -------------- Arrival of USAID/DART -------------- ¶2. On October 3 and 4, nine members of the USAID/DART arrived in Jakarta, with two additional USAID/DART members scheduled to arrive on October 5. On October 5, six members of the USAID/DART are scheduled to fly from Jakarta to Padang to establish a USAID/DART field office and begin conducting assessments and coordinating with the GoI and members of the humanitarian community. -------------- Effects of September 30 Earthquake -------------- ¶3. Various reports about the number of people affected by the earthquake are circulating within the humanitarian community. According to U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) staff in Padang, the GoI Command Center in Padang reports that the earthquake resulted in the deaths of 608 people, with 343 people missing. The numbers of dead and missing are likely to rise, however, as rescue efforts continue. The earthquake severely damaged 81,863 buildings, inflicted moderate damage on 34,806 buildings, and lightly damaged 69,189 buildings. ¶4. Following an October 4 trip to Padang, DoJ staff members reported that approximately 20 percent of the electrical grid in Padang was functioning. Fuel is in short supply, as damage to the electrical grid has left many fuel pumps inoperable. Contrary to earlier reports, however, bottled water is readily available for purchase in Padang town. In Padang, the USAID/DART will assess humanitarian conditions and attempt to verify divergent reports about the effects of the quake. -------------- Rescue Efforts in Padang -------------- ¶5. According to DoJ personnel in Padang, intermittent rains on October 4 and 5 in Padang have slowed rescue operations. -------------- USG Assistance -------------- ¶6. A U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Humanitarian Assistance Rapid Response Team (HARRT) is scheduled to arrive in country on October 5, with setup to begin as quickly as transport is available from the airfield to the site. A mobile medical unit, the HARRT will be able to treat between 200 and 250 patients per day and is expandable in a modular format. ¶7. In addition, DoD is providing helicopters which can transport humanitarian personnel and cargo. The first of these may arrive by mid-week. ¶8. USAID/OFDA is airlifting humanitarian relief commodities from its warehouse in Dubai to Padang. The commodities are tentatively scheduled to arrive in country on October 6 and will be consigned to the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia, or PMI). The JAKARTA 00001666 002 OF 002 airlift includes plastic sheeting, hygiene kits, and power generator sets. ¶9. USAID/OFDA has provided an initial $300,000 in humanitarian assistance to affected populations and has reserved an additional $3 million for the earthquake response. In accordance with the USAID/DART assessments of humanitarian conditions in Padang and surrounding areas, USAID/OFDA may provide additional funding for humanitarian assistance if necessary. Osius#