MGEAP1: INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #5

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001712 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 USUN FOR DMERCADO 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 #5 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. The USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) continues to assess areas affected by the September 30 earthquake off the coast of West Sumatra. On October 9, the USAID/DART conducted aerial assessments of areas northeast of the epicenter of the earthquake, as well as areas south of Padang. While relief efforts continue, international media coverage is beginning to wane. On October 9, the U.N. released the West Sumatra Earthquake Humanitarian Response Plan, in coordination with the Government of Indonesia (GoI),seeking $38 million for programs lasting 90 days. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) continues to provide patient treatment through a mobile medical unit and has provided helicopters to transport emergency relief commodities and humanitarian personnel to areas inaccessible by road. End summary. -------------- USAID/DART Relief Activities -------------- ¶2. On October 8, the USAID/DART met with the U.S. Pacific Command-designated Mission Commander to discuss helicopter operations in earthquake-affected areas. The USAID/DART is working with the humanitarian clusters in Padang to coordinate air operations on DoD helicopters. DoD has offered helicopters to transport both emergency relief supplies and humanitarian personnel to earthquake-affected areas that are otherwise inaccessible. ¶3. On October 8, members of the USAID/DART who traveled to Agam District observed that humanitarian needs vary widely within the district. However, virtually every house observed by the USAID/DART has sustained at least some damage, and many houses have collapsed or are structurally unsound and need to be rebuilt. ¶4. The USAID/DART also visited the spontaneous displaced person camp near Lake Singkarak in Padang Pariaman District on October 8. Individuals in the camp were displaced by a landslide or ordered by police to evacuate four villages around the lake. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is providing humanitarian assistance to the approximately 2,000 individuals sheltering in the camp; however, unmet needs persist, including the need for safe drinking water, as some individuals living in the camp are collecting water from the nearby lake. Sanitation facilities at a neighboring mosque were insufficient to sustain the population's sanitation needs. ¶5. On October 9, the USAID/DART conducted aerial assessments of areas northeast of the epicenter of the earthquake as well as areas south of Padang. South of Padang, the team observed minor secondary road blockages resulting from small landslides along the road. These road blockages were passable by motorbikes and should be relatively easy for communities to clear. ¶6. In addition, on October 9, the USAID/DART continues to field media requests and produce press releases. International media are leaving Padang; the USAID/DART reports that reporters from Agence France-Presse (AFP) and the Associated Press (AP) have departed. The USAID/DART press officer continues to coordinate with DoD and U.S. Embassy counterparts to provide press support to the USG humanitarian relief effort. ¶7. The USAID/DART is working to facilitate the arrival of the flight of relief commodities from the USAID/OFDA warehouse in Dubai. The flight is tentatively scheduled to land in Padang on October 9. -------------- Humanitarian Response Plan -------------- ¶8. On October 9, the U.N. released the West Sumatra Earthquake JAKARTA 00001712 002 OF 002 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP),in coordination with the GoI. Similar to a U.N. flash appeal, the HRP summarizes humanitarian needs and requests assistance from the international community to support the GoI in the humanitarian response to the earthquake. As many as 115 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are providing humanitarian assistance to affected populations as of October 9. ¶9. According to the HRP, the earthquake affected 1.2 million of the total 4.76 million people in West Sumatra Province. As of October 9, the quake has killed 739 people, left 296 people missing and presumed dead, and injured 2,219 others. In addition, the earthquake has damaged more than 230,000 houses. ¶10. To address humanitarian needs created by the September 30 earthquake, the HRP requests $38 million for 90 days, or approximately $32 per beneficiary. (Comment: The HRP does not include the $18.6 million also requested by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in its October 7 appeal. End comment.) The HRP describes priority needs by cluster. Included in the total request are the following sectors and amounts: -- Agriculture: $3,250,000 -- Coordination and Safety: $470,000 -- Early Recovery: $4,300,000 -- Education: $4,504,390 -- Food and Nutrition: $2,044,903 -- Health: $2,618,000 -- Logistics and Telecommunications: $1,997,308 -- Protection: $2,211,000 -- Shelter: $9,625,500 -- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: $7,010,000 -------------- DoD Earthquake Response -------------- ¶11. On October 8, staff at the DoD Humanitarian Assistance Rapid Response Team (HARRT) treated 243 patients. The U.S.S. Denver and the U.S.S. McCampbell arrived in Padang late in the evening on October 8. DoD is providing five helicopters, including three with heavy lift capacity, for use by the humanitarian community. The heavy lift helicopters will transport emergency relief commodities and humanitarian aid workers to areas that are difficult to access or inaccessible by road, and the other helicopters are being used for aerial assessments of affected areas and transport of medical and teams. DoD commenced helicopter operations on October 9. As of October 7, DoD had provided assistance worth more than $4 million, including the cost of medical supplies to support the HARRT and the cost of airlifts. Osius#