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Church World Service
Emergency Response Program
Update:
Indonesia Earthquake
March 29, 2005
SITUATION: The 8.7 magnitude earthquake centered off Sumatra's western coast wreaked wholesale destruction on the island of Nias yesterday (March 28, 2005), leaving anywhere from 300 to 2000 dead and early estimates of at least 25,000 displaced on Nias and other islands in the midst of widespread damage to structures, critical facilities, and lifelines.
Early assessments indicated damages affecting 80 per cent of houses and buildings in Gunungsitoli, the Nias capital. Damaged structures on the island included churches, government facilities, and a hospital which collapsed. The quake totally destroyed the Nias airstrip, compromised two vital bridges connecting Gunungsitoli and outlying areas, triggered fires that burned the two biggest markets in Sitoli, and downed power and telephone lines.
"The stock of food and drinking water is insufficient," CWS partner Yayasan Tanggul Bencana of Communion of Churches in Indonesia (YTB) reports. "Some people in the affected community are starting to drink unpotable water." In addition, CWS partner Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU) reports with only a few doctors available and limited hospital capacity, "wounded people are not getting appropriate treatment."
RESPONSE: Church World Service (CWS) is coordinating its response with YTB and YEU and with them will be submitting a response proposal through the Action by Churches Together (ACT) network for the first two-week relief period to cover:
- A CWS program encompassing water sanitation and distribution
of
non-food items. CWS plans to send a water purification unit with
a
25,000 liters/hour capacity. It will also distribute 25 boxes of medicines;
1000 units of non-food packages containing blankets, mattresses,
clothing; masks and gloves; and 500 tents.
- A YEU health care program including medicines and medical teams which
will be air- transported from Jakarta and Medan
- A YTB program encompassing food distribution (rice, baby foods, mineral water, instant noodles), volunteer support (transportation/ communication), and counseling towards meeting initial needs of 15,000 internally displaced persons in 10 Nias subdistricts.
Updates to this situation report will be provided, including a possible public appeal to support on-going response to this disaster.
Contributions may also be made online by credit card or by calling: (800) 297-1516, ext. 222.