Earthquake Response

Objective: Earthquake Response

OverviewProgram DescriptionActivities

Program Description

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

USAID/ Basic Human Services

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its local partner, the Indonesian Red Cross/Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI) is distributing the relief supplies funded through USAID in the earthquake devasted area of Bantul.

• On June 16, USAID/OFDA provided more than $1.2 million to CHF International to support transitional shelter
  activities for earthquake-affected populations, including the construction of 5,000 transitional shelters, training on
  earthquake-resistant construction techniques, and the rehabilitation of household and community water and sanitation facilities. Given the prevalence of home-based enterprises in the affected area, USAID/OFDA’s shelter assistance is
  also contributing to the restoration of livelihoods.
  
• On June 15, the Government of Indonesia’s (GOI) National Coordinating Body for Disaster Management
  (BAKORNAS) reported that the May 27 earthquake killed 5,749 people and injured 38,568 others. The total number
  of houses damaged or destroyed is 578,048, including 127,037 collapsed houses and 451,011 damaged houses.

CURRENT SITUATION

Health

• The humanitarian community continues to view tetanus as a leading health concern for earthquake-affected populations. As of June 14, the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) reported 48 known tetanus cases, including 11 deaths in Yogyakarta and Klaten districts.
• From the outset of the emergency, the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) recognized the importance of strengthening disease surveillance and early warning systems to identify, prevent, and treat diseases. Through support to WHO, USAID/OFDA is supporting disease surveillance and early warning systems, with an emphasis on mobile outreach and data collection, analysis, and dissemination. To support disease surveillance efforts, USAID/OFDA developed an innovative public outreach campaign to disseminate key health messages, including information on tetanus prevention and good hygiene practices.

Livelihoods

• Bantul, the most heavily damaged sub-district, is a key center for Indonesia’s home-based handicrafts industry, according to the GOI’s National Planning Board (BAPPENAS). More than 90 percent of the small and medium-sized businesses in Bantul have suffered economic loss as a result of the earthquake damage. In total, more than 650,000 workers were employed in sectors affected by the earthquake.
• Preliminary estimates from BAPPENAS indicate that, with the damages suffered by small-scale manufacturing and service industries, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the earthquake-affected regions could fall by 5 percent, and by as much as 18 percent in the most severely affected areas.

Mt. Merapi

• On June 14, two moderately large pyroclastic flows (avalanches of hot gas and volcanic material) reached 7 km down the south side of the volcano into the Gendol river valley, which had already been evacuated, according to the USAID/DART volcanologist in Yogyakarta.
• On June 16, rockfalls and small pyroclastic flows continued to travel down the volcano's flanks. Volcanic activity remains at a rate high for Mt. Merapi and shows no signs of decreasing.
  

USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as of June 16, 2006.