In Focus

As of October 6, 2009 it is confirmed that 12,315 houses in Padang Pariaman district are destroyed by the 7.9 RS earthquake that struck West Sumatra on September 30, 2009. A total of 54 schools have collapsed. Hundreds of houses of worship and general facilities are also destroyed.  In Pariaman city there are 10,581 houses severely damaged; 88 general facilities collapsed; 76 schools lightly damaged; and 69 houses of worship lightly damaged.

The affected locations in Padang Pariaman are widely dispersed and are mostly in mountainous areas, which makes them difficult to access. The quake has damaged many roads, caused landslides, and downed power lines. Many villages can now only be reached on foot.

Data from rapid assessments shows that there were 208 people killed and 332 badly injured in Padang Pariaman district. In Pariaman city, 29 people died and 49 were severely injured. The number of deaths is expected to increase further as debris is being cleared. IDPs are not concentrated in one location such as a camp. Instead,  earthquake-affected people tend to stay close to their damaged or destroyed houses. Even those whose houses were not destroyed sleep outdoors for fear of aftershocks, something that could also be observed in Nias after the devastating earthquake there and which continued for many months after the disaster. This makes in-site emergency shelter so urgent as affected populations lack shelter (or won’t use it to sleep in as they are traumatized by the disaster) leaving them exposed to the elements.

Another urgent concern is access to adequate water supply and sanitation as the water well is contaminated with mud and water pipes that are supposed to distribute water to people are damaged because of the earthquake. Some people have functioning latrines, while others use their neighbor’s. People in some hamlet defecate in open drains and rivers as there are no functioning latrines.

Temporary shelter, access to water supply and sanitation, as well as hygiene and sanitation education  are therefore urgently needed. The situation continues to pose a threat to their wellbeing of children under the age of 5 and other vulnerable groups and has the potential to deteriorate should these urgent needs no be met.


Church World Service Response

A team and two trucks loads of non-food item (NFI) have arrived in Padang Pariaman on Saturday, October 3, 2009. CWS has also dispatched another two trucks carrying NFI, motorcycle, and a second 4 WD as well as a motorcycle to Padang Pariaman.

CWS has distributed 23 tarps in Durian Daun hamlet and 4 tarps in Sungai Tira hamlet on October 4, 2009.  CWS has also distributed 216 tarps, 350 mats, and 805 blankets in seven hamlets in Pilubang Village, Sungai Limau subdistrict, Padang Pariaman district on October 5, 2009.

CWS Blankets distribution in Padang Pariaman District
(CWS Blankets distribution in Padang Pariaman District)

More staff are being deployed in Padang Pariaman to support the emergency response. A  water and sanitation assessment is under way in Sungai Limau subdistrict.. The assessment team also conducted area mapping for temporary latrine construction and water distribution.CWS’ water and sanitation advisor is now conducting further  assessments and is coordinating  with the WASH cluster. An assessment on the needs of under-five children is also being conducted, as CWS will provide nutrition supplementation for under-five children in Pilubang village. A psychosocial specialist was  dispatched  to conduct psychosocial response training for volunteers.

CWS has erected one tent as a  temporary warehouse. CWS is  maintaining coordination with the Head of Padang Pariaman district Health Agency. Plans are underway for a joint ACT members’ warehouse.

Coordination    

Coordination has been maintained amongst ACT International members: CWS, YEU, and YTBI. CWS also maintains coordination with government, UN agencies, and other I/NGOs.

Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU)

YEU is deploying 3 teams in West Sumatra. The first team consists of two medical doctors, two nurses, one physiotherapist and one logistician equipped with medicines and suture kit and wound care equipment, to cover 1500 patients; NFI such as 100 hygiene kits, 50 baby kits, 100 blankets and 50 tarpaulins. The second one consists of information and psychosocial assessment officer and one emergency expert nurse of Bethesda hospital departed from Yogyakarta. The third team consists of one medical doctor and one logistician equipped with medicine and suture kit and wound care equipment enough for 500 patients was dispatched on October 2, 2009.

Medical service and mobile clinics have been set up in the regions to serve 2000 survivors and post-operative patient who do not have access to hospitals. Assessment on the trauma level of the children and immediate needs of the survivor was also conducted, while the team in HQ prepared for deployment of water purification system.

Yayasan Tanggul Bencana Indonesia (YTBI)

YTBI has distributed emergency aid consisting non-food item in Padang Pariaman district.

For further information, please contact:

Michael Koeniger
Country Director
mkoeniger@churchworldservice.org
cell  +62 811 98 94 95
 
Ilmi Suminar
Communication Officer
ilmi@cwsindonesia.or.id
cell +62 817 002 1284