INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #14: USAID/DART

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 001787 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: INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #14: USAID/DART DEPARTURE REF: JAKARTA 01776 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. On September 30, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra Island. In response, Post issued a disaster declaration, and a USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) deployed to Padang, West Sumatra Province. To date, the USAID/DART has programmed nearly $5.3 million in funding from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA),with plans to program additional funding for disaster response and disaster risk reduction activities. USAID/OFDA support includes an airlift of emergency relief commodities and programs to provide affected populations with relief commodities and urgent shelter, health, protection, humanitarian coordination and information management, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) assistance. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) also provided support, including a mobile medical unit and transportation, worth nearly $3.8 million. On October 25, the USAID/DART departed Padang. Two USAID/OFDA field officers plan to remain in Padang through mid-November to finish programming remaining funding and ensure that programs meet beneficiaries' needs. End summary. -------------- Earthquake in West Sumatra Province -------------- ¶2. On September 30, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck approximately 30 miles off the western coast of Sumatra Island, causing significant damage in West Sumatra Province. The earthquake killed 1,117 people, according to the Government of Indonesia (GoI),and affected at least 1.2 million others, according to the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO). The quake damaged or destroyed approximately 265,000 houses, led to landslides that blocked or damaged roads, and caused numerous schools, hospitals, government offices, and other public buildings to collapse or sustain significant damage. The most affected areas include Agam, Padang, and Padang Pariaman districts. -------------- -------------- Disaster Declaration and Deployment of USAID/DART 
 -------------- -------------- ¶3. On October 1, the GoI declared a state of emergency, and Ambassador Cameron R. Hume issued a disaster declaration. In response, USAID/OFDA provided an initial $300,000 for shelter and WASH assistance. ¶4. On October 2, a USAID/DART deployed to Indonesia, and team members began to arrive in country on October 4. The 12-member team included a team leader, program officer, field officer, shelter and settlements specialist, safety and security officer, communications officer, logistics officer, press officer, administrative officer, information officer, and two military liaison officers. -------------- USAID/DART Activities and Programming -------------- -- USAID/DART Activities -- ¶5. The USAID/DART conducted assessments of humanitarian needs and coordinated assistance with the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, USAID/Indonesia, DoD, the GoI, members of the humanitarian community, and implementing partners. Aerial and ground assessments indicated that the primary humanitarian need of earthquake-affected populations is emergency shelter assistance and that populations also require varying degrees of assistance to meet WASH, health, food, early recovery, protection, and other needs. JAKARTA 00001787 002 OF 003 -- Current Programming -- ¶6. In response to humanitarian needs, the USAID/DART has programmed nearly $5.3 million. Implementing partners include the American Red Cross, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI),Mercy Corps, International Medical Corps (IMC),and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Per reftel, the USAID/DART has monitored partners' activities. ¶7. Shortly after the earthquake, USAID/OFDA provided $300,000 to Mercy Corps for shelter and WASH assistance. USAID/OFDA also provided $3 million through Mercy Corps to humanitarian organizations in the Emergency Capacity Building (ECB) consortium that are responding to the earthquake. Of the grant to ECB, Save the Children received $1.1 million, Catholic Relief Services received $400,000, World Vision was awarded more than $500,000, CARE received $400,000, and Build Change was awarded $100,000. These organizations are distributing emergency relief commodities and providing temporary shelter and WASH assistance in Pariaman District; Agam District, including Tanjung Raya Sub-district; and Sungai Limau Sub-district of Padang Pariaman District. ¶8. USAID/OFDA has provided nearly $500,000 to the American Red Cross and commodities valued at nearly $400,000, including transport, to PMI. The American Red Cross is working in Indonesia through PMI, which is providing relief commodities to affected populations. The American Red Cross is procuring pumps and small generators to attach to the Padang city water system in order to develop public hydrants. The public hydrants will replace the current tankering system that is supplying water for Padang, as up to 80 percent of city residents are without running water due to the earthquake, according to OCHA. In addition, the American Red Cross is procuring 5,000 family kits, 1,000 baby kits, and 10,000 sarongs for distribution to affected households. ¶9. USAID/OFDA has provided $500,000 to IMC for a program targeting Padang Pariaman District. With USAID/OFDA funding, IMC is addressing the critical emergency health care and psychosocial needs of earthquake-affected populations. USAID/OFDA funding also allowed IMC to support search and recovery efforts through local partner Ambulan 118. IMC is coordinating all health activities with the Padang Pariaman District Health Department and the Provincial Coordinating Unit for the Management of Disaster and conducting activities through the Indonesian health care system. ¶10. USAID/OFDA has provided $400,000 to OCHA to support humanitarian coordination and information management. OCHA has coordinated the cluster system, which the U.N. stood up in West Sumatra following the earthquake. OCHA has been responsible for facilitating engagement between the GoI National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and members of the humanitarian community. OCHA is also responsible for facilitating coordination within each cluster, which has been strong. -- Planned Programming -- ¶11. Due to significant humanitarian needs for transitional shelter, USAID/OFDA plans to program additional funding for two non-governmental organizations to implement transitional shelter activities. In addition, USAID/OFDA tentatively plans to provide funding for disaster risk reduction activities, including a training-of-trainers program in earthquake resistant structures, as well as an earthquake preparedness curriculum for primary schools. -- Shelter Activities -- ¶12. The USAID/DART has issued regular reports on team activities and humanitarian conditions of earthquake-affected populations. The primary humanitarian need of the affected population is shelter, and both humanitarian programs and spontaneous recovery by households are beginning to address needs. However, the shelters currently being built are inadequate to serve as transitional shelter for up JAKARTA 00001787 003 OF 003 to two years, generally the length of time necessary for the GoI, affected households, and others to rebuild permanent shelters. The core challenges of the humanitarian community in Indonesia are thus related to the provision of transitional shelter, which is increasingly viewed as the first phase of the longer-term reconstruction effort. -------------- DoD Assistance -------------- ¶13. On October 2, Post requested DoD's assistance. In response, DoD sent three ships, one cargo plane, and five helicopters to Padang. DoD fixed and rotary wing aircraft transported 997 passengers and 401,000 pounds of cargo. In addition, DoD deployed a Humanitarian Assistance Rapid Response Team (HARRT),or mobile medical unit, to Padang. The HARRT treated 1,945 patients in eight days. DoD assistance is valued at nearly $3.8 million. -------------- --- Continuing to Assess and Meet Humanitarian Needs -------------- --- ¶14. On October 25, the USAID/DART departed Padang. However, two USAID/OFDA field officers remain in Padang through mid-November to continue to assess humanitarian conditions, finish programming additional funding, and work with implementing partners to ensure that programs meet beneficiaries' needs. Hume#