PACIFIC DISASTER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION NETWORK (PDMIN)
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Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Update

 

January 10, 2005

 

Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font.

 

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

Overview......................................page 2-5

Indonesia.....................................page 6-15

Sri Lanka......................................page 16-22

Thailand.......................................page 23-31

Overview

 

·      The overall focus of attention is now quickly shifting to relief and recovery efforts. Search and rescue operations for last month’s (December 26) massive tsunamis are largely over. The tsunamis were triggered by an undersea earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the west coast of Indonesia’s northern Sumatra Island and killed more than 150,000 people along the coastal areas of some 11 countries in the Indian Ocean. The fate of nearly one million people along the western coast of Indonesia’s Aceh is slowly being assessed with anecdotal reports of death rates in excess of 50%. UNOCHA’s Kevin Kennedy says the highest UN priority is getting aid to those it has not yet reached. (Jan-9 UN News) Tsunami-related deaths have been reported in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. The loss of life has been particularly severe in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Following the Indonesian Health Ministry’s decision last week to no longer provide an account of the precise number of deaths because of difficulties in getting an accurate picture, the spokesman for the country’s Social Affairs Ministry’s relief coordination center said that the death toll had climbed to 107,039, with 70,000 people still unaccounted for in the northern province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra and along the 115 miles of the islands along Indonesia’s northwestern coast, which was close to the epicenter of the earthquake. WHO estimates 80 percent of Aceh’s west coast has been damaged. UN officials think the number of people dead and affected by the disaster in Indonesia could significantly climb once authorities are able to assess all hard to reach areas. The death toll in Sri Lanka and India has also climbed to in excess of 30,000 and 10,012 deaths respectively. India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as the southern state of Tamil Nadu, have been the worst hit areas. The death toll in Thailand’s resort islands of Phuket and Phi Phi has now climbed to 5,305, including some 2,500 foreigners from at least 36 countries. More than 400 combined deaths have also been reported in Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. The small island nation of Maldives, which is scattered over 200 islands, has suffered extensive damage to infrastructure and is seeking US$239 million in emergency relief aid and an additional US$1.3 billion for long-term reconstruction. The total cost of the disaster is estimated to be in excess of US$13.6 billion.

 

·      A number of logistics problems remain despite progress. Thailand is in good shape. Although main roads are now accessible in most affected districts in Sri Lanka, except Batticaloa, transport capacity is insufficient to move relief supplies inland. Distribution mechanisms remain weak. The Sri Lankan government, in conjunction with the United Nations Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC), is addressing these problems. In Indonesia, backlogs at Banda Aceh airport and nearby Medan airport are diminishing with increased humanitarian coordination and the opening of airport facilities in neighboring Singapore and Malaysia. Tracking and prioritization systems for humanitarian cargo and military airlift are being developed. Indonesian military (TNI) control of Banda Aceh and Medan airports and control of humanitarian and military access is providing a challenge for relief efforts. UNJLC has teams in Banda Aceh, Jakarta, and Colombo and liaison officers to work with the US military. Roads are just now opening up to Meulaboh on the west coast of Aceh, but the road south from Banda Aceh will be closed for perhaps a month as TNI effects repairs. UNJLC plans to soon publish an overview of all air assets on its website at www.unjlc.org that have been made available to humanitarian community. (Jan-8, UNJLC)

 

·      The UN is using Malaysia’s Subang Airport near the capital Kuala Lumpur as its regional transportation hub. Subang’s current air assets include two C130s and a Casa235. An IL76 and an AN12 are scheduled to be deployed. There are 1,000 square meters of warehouse space available. An additional 625-square meter shelter is being erected on the tarmac. Subang has all required loading and ground handling equipment to serve Tristars and C17s. There are no problems flying Military and Civil Defense Assets (MCDA) to Subang. UNJLC recommends all international relief flights land in Subang and then further dispatch the cargo by smaller aircraft to Banda Aceh and Medan. (Jan-10, UNJLC)

 

·      The United States and a number of other militaries and agencies are operating out of and coordinating at Thailand’s Utapao Royal Thai Air Force Base about 100 miles south of Bangkok. The US Combined Support Force, liaison officers from other militaries, and a Civil-Military Coordination Cell are operating. USAID DART representatives are present, as is the UNOCHA coordinator in Thailand. 1,200 US troops are on the ground. Additionally, the US and perhaps others are using the base for transshipment of relief supplies.

 

·      Due to limited warehouse space at the airport, the Maldives government is urgently requesting that manifests for all aid shipments be sent to it well in advance. Manifests can be sent in advance to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of External Resources: der@foreign.gov.mv; fax: +960 317 592; copied to the Task Force's Aid Coordination Unit: rshareef@dhivehinet.net.mv and UNDP's focal point for logistics: shaheem.razee@undp.org Transportation of relief supplies to the country’s more than 200 islands is proving to be challenging, as only small loads by boats, hydroplanes and helicopters are possible. (Jan-10, UNJLC)

 

·      The Australian Defense Forces are establishing their strategic air hub at the military facility in Butterworth Air Base, Malaysia. This will take some pressure off the airports of Medan and Banda Aceh. (Jan-7, UNJLC)

 

·      The International Committee of the Red Cross is using Singapore as a regional hub.

 

·      World Health Organization (WHO) officials in South Asia estimate as many as five million people have been displaced and are at risk across the region. In Indonesia alone an estimated 1 million people are either displaced or homeless. Jan Egeland, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs says at least 1.6 million people affected by the disaster are in need of food aid. Assessments reports from Aceh’s west coast have yet to come in. WHO says an estimated 500,000 people are believed to have been injured in the tsunami. Officials are warning of a “health disaster” if the survivors are not treated to prevent infection and are not given quick access to clean drinking water. There have been some reports of diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia and skin infections in Indonesia. Ingestion of dirty water from the tsunami has increased the risk of pneumonia. Contamination of drinking water sources and stagnant water have increased the risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, malaria and dengue fever. With the lack of services in some areas, wounds have quickly become infected. Measles will spread more easily as people’s systems are worn down. Food and medicine in many areas are in short supply. Due to warm temperatures, the risk of malaria, which is endemic to the region, remains high. (Dec-30, UN News Service, PBS) However, so far there have been no reports of disease outbreaks. WHO is encouraging setting up smaller-sized camps for displaced survivors. WHO Director-General Dr. Lee Jong-Wook says smaller camp sizes will lessen the risk of disease outbreaks that can otherwise spread easily when people are packed together.

 

·      According to Indian Health Ministry sources, cases of measles and chicken pox have been reported in several camps in Tamil Nadu and the Andaman islands. Health officials are on high alert to prevent major disease outbreaks. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) teams are installing water storage tanks and distributing oral rehydration salts (ORS) to prevent water-borne diseases, particularly diarrhea. UNICEF is the first international organization that has been allowed by the Indian government to begin operating in the Andaman Islands. UNICEF is vaccinating children against measles on the island of Car Nicobar. Other international aid groups, including MSF, are still waiting for the Indian government’s approval. (Jan-8, DPA)

 

·      Indian officials are considering accepting foreign reconstruction assistance to rebuild tsunami-devastated areas along the southern coast. Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said today that the massive scale of disaster had made India consider foreign aid in dealing with the long-term rebuilding and rehabilitation. He said India has been wrongfully accused of adopting an isolationist stand and of not accepting international aid. Damage from the tsunami disaster in India is estimated to climb to over US$2 billion, with US$1.6 billion on the mainland and another US$600 million on the islands of Andaman and Nicobar.

 

·      Maldives reports it will not re-inhabit 9 of 14 evacuated islands.

 

·      United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Geneva has called for a ministerial level meeting next Tuesday’s (January 11) to discuss tsunami disaster. OCHA has sent out invitations to all permanent missions to the UN in Geneva.

 

·      UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday (January 6) launched a UN “flash appeal” for nearly US$1 billion (US$977 million) to fund emergency relief for countries affected by last month’s tsunami in the Indian Ocean. The appeal covers a six-month period for humanitarian emergency needs of an estimated 5 million people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles and Somalia. The appeal is the largest in response to a natural disaster in the United Nations’ 60 years of existence. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says it may take ten years and cost tens of billions of dollars to reconstruct devastated areas. Annan said he is concerned that some of the US$2 billion pledges may never materialize. He stressed billions of dollars pledged by foreign governments, corporations and private individuals were needed now and pledges needed to be converted into cash quickly. (Jan-6, AFP, AP, UNNC, CNN)

 

·      Jan Egeland, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said yesterday (Sunday, January 10) that his office was working with international financial experts, including the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, to devise a public tracking system on the Internet that would allow donors to track the progress and utilization of their contributions as they make their way to those in need. (Jan-10, IHT)

 

·      UNICEF is seeking US$80 million in urgent humanitarian aid for an estimated 1.5 million children in the region.

·      International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched a consolidated appeal for US$59 million for the crisis.

·      The G7 group of seven industrialized nations will freeze debt repayments for countries hit by the tsunami and will work with the Paris Club and other creditors to implement the decision. The EU President, Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg advocates full debt relief for tsunami nations. (Jan-9, AFP)

 

·      Kuwait has increased its aid pledge for countries affected by the tsunami from US$30 million to US$100 million. The package includes US$30 million in cash, and US$70 million will be used to finance infrastructure projects through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in the affected countries. (Jan-9, KNA)

 

·      Islamic Development Bank (IDB) will provide US$500 million in relief and reconstruction aid to countries affected by the tsunami disaster. IDB reportedly made the pledge at the Special ASEAN Leaders’ meeting that was held this Thursday (January 6) in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. IDB said it would make special arrangements for the region’s development partners to ensure quick disbursement of funds for affected countries. (Jan-9, NST)

 

·      The international development and relief organization, Oxfam, is calling upon international donors to guarantee that nearly US$4 billion pledged last week to help nations affected by last month’s Asian tsunami crisis is new money. In a report released today, Oxfam said it was concerned that some major donors may be “borrowing” from aid pledged for other crises, including Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. (Jan-10, Oxfam)

 

·      Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda heads for Europe to work debt relief. (Jan 9, AFP) Thailand’s Prime Minister Thaksin calls for favorable trade tax treatment from international community.

 

·      In an unprecedented call by a non-government organization (NGO), the Nobel-prize winning international medical relief group, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said January 4 that it had collected US$54 million in donations since the December 26 tsunami disaster, adding that the organization had enough funds to assist millions of affected people in South Asia. MSF is urging donors to redirect funding to those crises that have slipped from public attention.

 

Indonesia

 

Organization

 

Overview………………………………………………………...page 7

 

Domestic Response……………………………………………page 9

            Government                                                            

            Local Humanitarian Organizations

 

International Response……………………………………….page 11

            Foreign Governments

            United Nations

            International Humanitarian Organizations

Indonesia

 

Overview: Indonesian government says it is stepping up efforts to build shelters for survivors, and to recover and bury some 50,000 bodies. Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab says some 58,281 bodies had been buried already. Shihab said Monday (January 10) that some 392,000 people are homeless. He says that so far no one is starving or unable to access medical care. For more than a week, US helicopters have been continuing to ferry food, water and medical supplies to inaccessible areas along Aceh’s west coast. Fifteen Seahawk helicopters from the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group have been flying up to 9 hours a day. The situation is still unclear for many areas along the coast, as thorough assessments have not been made or are just beginning to come in.

 

Request for International Assistance: Indonesia says it needs some US$2.15 billion dollars, double previous estimates, over the next five years to rebuild Aceh province.

 

Coordination: The Indonesian Government today established a joint Disaster Management Centre (DMC) with the United Nations, which will prioritize the management and coordination of relief efforts.

 

Logistics: Indonesian Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab says that there are still many problems in distribution, principally a shortage of fuel and transport. Problems with congestion at Banda Aceh and Medan airports continue, UNOCHA reports. A US helicopter crash briefly suspended operations at Banda Aceh airport. Bottlenecks have cleared somewhat from earlier reports, but aid groups say airports are still overwhelmed by the number of planes trying to deliver relief supplies. Banda Aceh airport is reportedly handling some 200 flights every 24 hours. Airport only has parking spaces for 6 aircraft. In an effort to relieve the logjam at the airports, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), says that it will begin a steady stream of road convoys from Jakarta to Aceh on Monday (January 10). IOM has some 150 trucks available. IOM continues to coordinate airdrops to areas cut off by land routes with the US military. The UN, with WFP and the UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) in the lead has a regional hub at Malaysia’s Subang Air Base in Kuala Lumpur. It is estimated that it takes at least twice as long for aid to reach Aceh from Jakarta as it does Subang. The UNJLC reports that the Meulaboh airfield is damaged. The land route from Medan to Meulaboh has been reported open by UNJLC, however, there is no confirmation that it is passable. The land route from Banda Aceh to Meulaboh is reported to be inaccessible by aid groups who attempted passage. The UNJLC in Indonesia is coordinating humanitarian cargo and flights with donors, agencies, available airlift, and Indonesia. The road from Medan to Banda Aceh is open, although there are some security concerns. There are seaports at Medan, in Aceh Province southeast of Banda Aceh, and a limited-capability commercial port near Banda Aceh itself. UNJLC says the port in Medan suffers delays and that more assessments are needed. There are no operating ports along the west coast.

 

Food: Distributions of World Food Program (WFP) food was scheduled to start Monday (January 10) in northeast Aceh province to some 160,000 people, bringing total number fed by WFP to some 300,000. The 160,000 would receive a one-month ration of food. WFP says it was already meeting food needs of some 130,000 in Banda Aceh and in Aceh Besar. WFP says Action Contre la Faim (Action Against Hunger) has identified some 130,000 people in need along the western coast. ACF and WFP will partner together to provide food to this population. Food distribution is expected to increase following the opening of the Humanitarian Air Hub at the Subang air base in Malaysia.

 

Water & Sanitation: British-based NGO Oxfam says it is currently working to provide water in north Aceh. Work to rehabilitate water supplies and latrines in Meulaboh has started. With UNICEF in charge of water and sanitation, Oxfam, the Australian military, and many others are addressing the water situation.

 

Public Health/Medical: The World Health Organization (WHO) and other health agencies have started an early warning system for disease surveillance and outbreak control. UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) confirmed two cases of measles. UNICEF had been in midst of campaign to immunize some 600,000 against the disease. Immunization drive expected to take some 3 weeks to complete. Cases of pneumonia, diarrhea, respiratory and skin diseases, people suffering from mental trauma reported. Vitamin A campaign ongoing for children. Doctors say most significant problems are pneumonia, septic wounds, fractures and tetanus. The WHO has issued a plea for countries not to send any more field hospitals because there will be nothing for them to do, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

 

Shelter: The Minister of People’s Welfare Alwi Shihab says that the government would construct some 24 relief camps for the displaced within a week. Shihab says that up to 34 relocation points would be set up to relocate the displaced. He says that it will take up to 3 weeks to create wooden barracks for temporary housing. Oxfam says that there were over 100,000 people in some 200 makeshift camps across the province with populations ranging from 30 to more than 3,000. The UN plans to provide tents and supplies for 500,000.

 

Security: Laksamana.net reports that the government has reportedly banned foreigners from most parts of Aceh province, saying that they cannot move freely without military approval because of security risks. Vice-President Jusuf Kalla reportedly announced on Sunday (January 9) that foreigners were restricted to Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, The Age daily reported. Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare, Alwi Shihab, had recently said that foreigners were free to go anywhere that needed aid. The UN has set the security status in Banda Aceh at three and four outside the city, five being the most dangerous on the UN’s scale. Level four means staff not allowed to venture out alone or at night, level five leads to the withdrawal of UN staff. Armed guards have been posted at the UN compound in Banda Aceh, however, UN officials say they are part of normal security operations for aid operations. Both the TNI and the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have announced ceasefires shortly after the disaster, but some clashes continue. Some officials say some “unofficial” communications ongoing with the GAM. The government had also lifted tight initial restrictions on foreigners in the province that had been in place during the military operations, to allow aid into the province. Indonesia eased their ban on journalists and humanitarian help put in place in Aceh, but restrictions have not disappeared. The Indonesian military, TNI, maintains control of the airports and foreign troop numbers in the region.

 

Banda Aceh vicinity: The population in the vicinity of Banda Aceh is about 500,000. Mostly from this immediate area, Indonesia reports 105,000 dead, about 10,000 reported missing, and several thousands in hospitals. In the northeastern districts of Indonesia, WFP reports that NGOs have registered a total Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) population of 140,000 in addition to the some 120,000 previously identified in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar. Additionally, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) says that some 100,000 displaced persons have relocated to Medan from Aceh province. The Indonesian government reports that 80% of the roads and power infrastructure were destroyed along with virtually all the sanitation capability. Relief is flowing into Banda Aceh by road from Medan in North Sumatra Province, by air into the Banda Aceh airport from Medan, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and to a lesser degree into a partially operational commercial seaport nearby. Some semblance of normality is returning with hospitals, gas stations, and markets reopening, and the government is starting to function with a skeleton staff.

 

West Coast of Aceh Province: The first UN team of five people arrived in Meulaboh. UN setting up common office in the town, involving UNHCR, UNOCHA, WFP, UNICEF, the UNJLC and UNSECOORD. US Marines also reportedly arrived in the town using a hovercraft and Chinook helicopters to bring water, rice and timber to the town. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says it will operate along the west coast and focus on providing shelter along with essential items, logistics and transport. The chief of UN operations in Indonesia, Joel Boutroue, says that most communities in Aceh province have been reached by the relief effort, however, some remote coastal areas have yet to be helped. Mercy Corps says water distribution is a priority as town is solely reliant on bottled water. The 155-mile west coast of Aceh Province, with a population of about one million, was closest to the epicenter. The WFP reports that an initial inter-agency assessment down the western coast found that the most severe impact area is between Banda Aceh and Meulaboh. South of Meulaboh the damage is reportedly less severe but populations are still in need of assistance. In addition to bringing supplies as far south as Meulaboh, the US military has been delivering supplies along the northern part of the west coast. Should early death toll estimates be sustained, death and destruction along the west coast will dwarf what has been reported to date.

 

Domestic Response

 

Local Government

 

·       The Indonesian Government today established a joint Disaster Management Centre (DMC) with the United Nations, which will prioritize the management and coordination of relief efforts. Assessments will be collected at the DMC to provide useable information for prioritization of needs in order to better assist the affected. UN will assist the government with resources of UNOCHA and UNJLC. Six UN staff will be based at the DMC. (Jan-10, UNOCHA)

 

·       The Indonesian military is considering opening its air base in Sabang, Weh Island to provide support for Banda Aceh’s overwhelmed Sultan Iskandar Muda airport. (Jan-10, Jakarta Post)

 

·       Indonesian Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab says that President Yudhoyono on Sunday, January 9, ordered “relief teams to prioritize the cleaning of Band Aceh and Meulaboh, and work on (restoring) air traffic.” (Jan-10, DPA)

 

·       A US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) team under WHO will support the Indonesian Ministry of Health in conducting health facilities assessment. (Jan-9, WHO)

 

·       Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda, left Sunday, January 9 to Europe to “seek clarity” on offers of a debt moratorium for Indonesia. (Jan-9, AFP)

 

·       The Indonesian government and UNICEF will establish centers to care for traumatized women, Minister of Women’s Empowerment, Meutia Hatta says. (Jan-9, AP)

 

·       The Indonesian government has a three-phase plan: Emergency measures through January 2005 followed by rehabilitation through February 2006 and reconstruction, also through February 2006. (Dec 30, Indonesian Mission to UN)

 

·       The National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Relief and Refugees (BAKORNAS) will handle GOI agencies in the relief effort, while MEKOKESRA will handle international assistance. (Dec-30, US Consulate Medan)

 

·       National Disaster Management Centre being set up in Jakarta by Indonesian government to coordinate relief actions of all national and international actors. (Jan-5, UNJLC)

·       There is an Indonesian disaster response command center in Medan near the airport. (Dec 30, US Consulate Medan)

 

·       The Indonesian military (TNI) has some 20,000 troops on Sumatra for the relief effort. (Jan-4, AP)

 

·       The Indonesian military (TNI) has repaired a bridge and immediate road access down the west coast of the province. (Jan 3, IFRC)

 

·       Indonesian police have deployed around 800 officers to Aceh province to fill the posts of some 450 killed in the disaster, the Antara news agency reports. On December 31, the Indonesian Defense Force said that some 517 soldiers had been killed in Aceh from the disaster.

·       Government of Indonesia has tasked the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS) with the development of an initial reconstruction plan for Aceh in time for Consultative Group on Indonesia donor meetings scheduled for January 19 through 21. (Jan-06, USAID)

 

Local Organizations

 

 

 

 

 

International Response

 

Foreign Governments

 

·       Fifteen Seahawk helicopters from the USS Lincoln Carrier group have been flying up to 9 hours a day. Normally they fly a maximum of 3-4 hours per day. (Jan-10, AP) The US Pacific Command has offered space for the shipment of relief goods from Singapore to Aceh, the UN’s Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) reports. Warehouse capacity may also be made available for temporary storage. Two Utility Landing Craft (LCU’s) with capability to land on a beach with cargo, including heavy vehicles and equipment, would also be made available. (Jan-9, UNJLC)

 

·       The US Abraham Lincoln carrier group (includes four other ships and some 6,500 sailors and Marines) arrived off Sumatra over the weekend (Saturday, January 1). USS Bonhomme Richard and two other warships carrying a Marine expeditionary unit of some 2,200 Marines arrived in the area to join in relief operations. The Bonhomme Richard has at least 29 heavy- and medium-lift helicopters, along with three landing craft with the capability to launch people or equipment ashore virtually any kind of beach. Force also has 60-plus strong medical staff that can man four operating rooms, with a ward capacity for 60 patients. US airlift operations are continuing to be flown out of Utapao base in Thailand. The US military is operating all its relief efforts out of Utapao Air Base in Thailand under a task force commander there.

 

·       Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia says some 970 troops will be sent, including two C-130 planes, five helicopters and three naval ships to Aceh. (Jan-10, AP) Advance team of Japan’s Self Defense Forces (SDF) began a survey of medical conditions in Banda Aceh. An additional 40 members as well as relief supplies headed towards region. Japanese Defense Chief, Yoshinori Ohno promised Sunday (January 9) that Japan would keep troops in Indonesia for at least 3 months, as requested by Jakarta. (Jan-6, Kyodo; Jan-9, AFP)

 

·       Pakistan has sent 87 army engineers and paramedics. Two transport planes have already left, carrying relief and personnel to Indonesia. Other personnel are in Indonesia setting up a field hospital and doing relief work. (Jan-10, AP) Pakistan sent 2 tons of medicines to Banda Aceh. Troops will set up a 50-bed hospital in the area. (Jan-6, DPA)

 

·       Egypt sending medical team and humanitarian aid to Aceh. (Jan-10, Jakarta Post)

 

·       New Zealand over the weekend deployed three more groups of some 30 members of the Defence Force Light Medical Team to Banda Aceh. (Jan-10, Government of New Zealand).

 

·       Malaysia offers to further extend amnesty for illegal migrant workers in Malaysia, should the Indonesian government request. Indonesian workers make up the bulk of more than a million illegal workers in Malaysia and Malaysia had said it would deport all illegal workers from the country. Amnesty was due to expire on Dec. 31, but Malaysia last week extended it for one month. (Jan-9, AFP). Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says that Malaysia will help rebuild Sumatra island for up to the next 10 years, including the construction of schools and other infrastructure for the some 35,000 orphans in Aceh. (Jan-9, AP) Malaysia opened its airspace and two airports to UN and Australia relief operations. The UN’s World Food Program/UN Joint Logistics Center is using Subang airport, located outside Kuala Lumpur, while Australia is using Butterworth in the northern part of peninsula Malaysia.

 

·       A total of 35 Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) staff are in AusAID’s Indonesian response team. A team arrived in Banda Aceh yesterday (January 8) to assess priorities of needs. AusAid will do an assessment of the offshore island of Simuelue from today through January 13. The team will deliver some 12 tons of emergency supplies. (Jan-9, AusAID) Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill said that the number of Australian Defence Force personnel in Indonesian region is over 460, and will increase by another 400 with arrival of the HMAS Kanimbla. Australia also will send public health team and plastic water bottles to Banda Aceh region in response to Indonesian government request. (Jan-7, GoA) With Malaysia’s authorization, Australia is operating out of its old airfield Butterworth near Penang Island at the north of peninsula Malaysia.

 

·       Singapore on Friday (January 7) sent a mobile air traffic control (MATC) tower to Banda Aceh’s airport, following request by Indonesia. Singapore currently has 6 helicopters and 2 helicopter landing ships in Indonesia. (Jan-7, Xinhua) Singapore Armed Forces planning to build permanent jetty at Meulaboh to help facilitate aid delivery. (Jan-6, Channel News Asia) Singapore Armed Forces have set up a field hospital in Banda Aceh, which currently houses some 3,000 displaced. Medical personnel say they see some 120 patients a day. (Jan-7, ChannelNews Asia) Singapore is International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hub for Indonesia relief.

 

·       New Zealand has 1 C-130 Hercules cargo plane and crew, and some 30 medical staff in Indonesia. (Jan-7, GoA)

 

·       European Commission (EC) contributions:

·       Belgium has sent relief materials.

·       Czech Republic has sent medical supplies and body bags.

·       Germany and France have sent additional experts on site.

·       France has sent a field hospital.

·       Denmark is supplying a field hospital and relief team.

·       Estonia has sent a medical team (thanks to transportation by the Netherlands).

·       Norway has made two C-130 Hercules military transport planes available to the Norwegian Red Cross and UN in a logistics support operation.

·       Through the International Humanitarian Partnership, transportation, accommodation and telecommunication assistance has been made available.

·       Portugal will send medical supplies, a field hospital and a medical team in order to set up an epidemiological monitoring system. (Jan-5, European Commission)

·       France is sending helicopter carrier Jeanne d’Arc and the frigate George Leygues to provide medical aid in Aceh. (Jan 2, AFP)

 

United Nations

 

 

·       UNICEF is sending mobile schools to Sumatra and are expected to arrive in a few days. UNICEF says some 420 schools had been destroyed and 1,000 teachers killed in Aceh. (Jan-10, AP) UNICEF says it has begun registering thousands of orphans in Aceh to protect them. UNICEF is also working with Indonesia’s government to set up child centers to help reunite children separated from their families. UNICEF says it is looking ahead to establish 600 schools to serve some 120,000 children in quake-hit areas of Sumatra. (Jan 2, AP)

 

 

 

 

·       UN Development Programme (UNDP) says it has begun to support national authorities in recovery planning. (Jan-5, UNDP)

 

·       World Health Organization (WHO) says that it is providing guidance to national authorities and other NGOs to ensure rapid recovery and rehabilitation of public health services. WHO is appealing for US$60 million to address public health needs. (Jan-5, WHO) WHO reports 50 international aid groups in Aceh to provide medical care. (January 2). WHO is organizing these disparate organizations and providing coordination. (Jan 2, AFP)

 

·       UN Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT) says it is working with overall UN coordination system to prepare emergency and reconstruction proposals. (Jan-5, UN-HABITAT)

 

·       WFP and UNHCR will begin two-day helicopter assessment of west coast of Sumatra. UNHCR will focus on providing shelter particularly to regions in the west. (Jan-4, UNHCR)

 

 

·       The UN Disaster Management Team in Banda Aceh is continuing to coordinate relief activities among humanitarian agencies as well as information sharing. (Jan 3, IFRC)

 

International Humanitarian Relief Organizations

 

 

 

 

·       The Australian Red Cross, among other relief, deployed 6 Emergency Response Unit’s (ERU’s) in Indonesia (2 Basic health care, 2 Water and sanitation, 1 Telecommunications and 1 Logistics). (Jan-6, Aus Red Cross)

 

·       Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA) has been providing medical services since December 28. They are currently posted at Iskandar Muda Military Hospital in Banda Aceh. (Jan-6, AMDA)

 

·       CARE International says it is running 14 survivor camps in Aceh province. (Jan 3, Reuters)

 

·       IOM is assisting displaced leaving Aceh for Medan and Jakarta. IOM has over 100 trucks shuttling between Medan and Banda Aceh. IOM Medan is working out of the offices of the BAKORNAS Indonesian disaster management agency. IOM’s undamaged Banda Aceh office is supporting other agencies some of whose facilities were destroyed. (Jan-5, UNJLC) IOM technical team is based in Jakarta’s Halim military airport to facilitate the loading of relief goods coming in from donors. (Jan-5, UNOCHA)

 

·       The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says that it has sent its first shipment of some 160 tons of relief goods for some 40,000 people to Banda Aceh, which should arrive in about 6 days. ICRC says it currently has enough goods for some 300,000 people and the group is exploring other routes to bypass congested distribution points. (Jan-9, Channelnews Asia) Field Assessment and Coordination Teams (FACT) from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are active in Meulaboh and Banda Aceh. IFRC delegates from Britain, Australia, Spain and Iceland, Japan and Denmark are present in Medan, Meulaboh, and Banda Aceh. These delegates are working in conjunction with Indonesian Red Cross to train and mobilize local volunteers.

 

Sri Lanka

 

 

Overview………………………………………………….page 17

 

Domestic Response…………………………………….page 18

            Government

            Local Humanitarian Organizations

 

International Response…………………………………page 19

            Foreign Governments

            United Nations

            International Humanitarian Organizations

 

 

Sri Lanka Overview

 

Summary: Marking the transition in emphasis from rescue and relief to recovery, President Chandrika Kumaratunga says reconstruction is a priority. The confirmed death toll in Sri Lanka reached 30,721, spread over 14 coastal and inland districts (out of Sri Lanka’s 25 districts). Approximately 4,940 people remain missing, while 14,637 people were injured. More than 93,500 houses have been destroyed, and 169 schools damaged or destroyed. 545,492 people are homeless, including 332,737 who are living in temporary camps and shelters. The 20-year conflict between the government and the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) in the north and east may be hampering delivery to those areas. Sri Lanka is welcoming assistance from foreign governments and humanitarian organizations.

 

Coordination: The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) established the Center for National Operations (CNO) under the direct authority of the Prime Minister. The CNO serves as the focal point for the coordination of relief work, including coordination of line ministries, and all provincial and governmental bodies. The center also provides links to sectoral ministries and serves as the interface between the government, NGOs, and the UN. Information is compiled and disseminated through a government website (http://www.cnosrilanka.org). All assistance at the district level is being coordinated by Government Agents, supported by UN interagency teams deployed to affected areas. The GoSL has also set up a Task Force for Logistics and Law and Order, which will set up a tracking system for all relief goods. The Disaster Relief Network (DRN) has set up operations at the airport in Colombo and signed an agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to receive all incoming relief commodities. The Sri Lanka Ministry of Health is coordinating all medical supplies and skilled personnel. The UN is working closely with the government, coordinating sector by sector.

 

Affected Population: Over 500,000 remain internally displaced. People are leaving the approximately 800 temporary camps in large numbers to return home or move in with others. Roughly 300,000 left 200 camps unoccupied. The government is identifying land for relocation so that schools and other public buildings can be evacuated for their intended use.

 

Logistics: There is a UN On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) and a UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) presence in the capital Colombo. UNJLC runs the Logistics Operations Center. Organizations sending relief commodities must check in. Operations at the Port of Colombo are functioning smoothly. Backlogs at the airport have largely been cleared, and handling of humanitarian cargo is proceeding smoothly. Humanitarian supplies are trucked south to Galle on a road largely cleared of impediments and using temporary bridges. Beyond Galle, and in the east, roads degrade. There is limited capacity for secondary transport on land, with difficulties mobilizing delivery trucks for distribution to districts and beneficiaries. The Roads Development Authority (RDA) is focusing on the reconstruction of the highway in the East. Particularly, the highway from Potuwil to Trincomalee has been severely damaged by the tidal waves.

 

Food: The World Food Program (WFP) announced that it met its goal of distributing a 15-day food ration to 750,000 beneficiaries, dispatching 5,000 MT of food using 500 trucks. WFP is now working on delivery for the next 15-day period using 50 trucks. WFP expects to be delivering food for six months. WFP has sub-offices in the south in Galle and in the east in Ampara, Trincomalee, and Batticaloa; WFP is establishing a sub-office in the northern LTTE-controlled city of Jaffna to facilitate distribution. Ration cards will be distributed nationwide to facilitate even distribution of supplies.

 

Water and Sanitation: The Ministry of Health announced that there are sufficient supplies of chlorine and water purification tablets in all districts. However, sanitation facilities are deemed inadequate in Kalmunai, south of Batticaloa, and water tanks are not being chlorinated in Batticaloa district.

Public Health and Medical: There are no disease outbreaks. World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Lee Jong-Wook says the health of Sri Lankan tsunami survivors is under control, However, disease surveillance mechanisms at camp settings must be dramatically strengthened. The district hospital in Trincomalee was completely destroyed.

 

Shelter: Immediate needs are being met by roughly 600 camps, plus schools, places of worship, and other public buildings. Schools in non-affected areas and those that are not being used as welfare camps reopened on Monday, January 10. The government plans to reopen schools in the affected areas on January 20. A total of 278 schools are currently being used as temporary shelters for displaced families. As such, there is an urgent need for “mid-term” temporary shelters. Quantities of plastic sheeting and tents have been brought in for the camps. Heavy rains, with possible flooding along the east coast, will test these arrangements.

 

Infrastructure: Roads are being repaired to facilitate deliveries. Reconstruction plans are in progress, but nothing has yet been rebuilt.

 

Security: About 400 protesters gathered in front of the UNHCR office in the northern predominantly Tamil city of Jaffna on Sunday (January 9) after UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan agreed to the government’s request not to visit areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during his trip to Sri Lanka. Tensions have flared in recent days as the LTTE has complained that little aid has been sent to LTTE-controlled areas, a claimed denied by the GoSL. The LTTE wants aid sent directly to their areas without going through GoSL. The LTTE also warned of serious consequences if government soldiers are not withdrawn from welfare camps where Tamil civilians are living.

 

 

Domestic Response

 

Local Government

 

 

·       The results of rapid assessments conducted by Ministry of Health (MoH) assessment teams will be available in the next two days. MoH personnel have already determined that there is no longer a need for additional medical teams, however, culturally sensitive psychiatrists are needed. (Jan-08, USAID). The Ministry of Health identified safe drinking water, proper sanitation, shelter, clothing, transport vehicles, and drugs and medical supplies as top priorities for response.

 

 

Local Humanitarian Relief Organizations

 

·       The Sri Lankan Red Cross distributed non-food parcels containing plastic sheets, kitchen utensils, saris, sarongs, bed sheets, lanterns and hygiene items in the town of Dampa. There are currently 8 emergency response units in Sri Lanka. . (Jan-07, ReliefWeb)

 

 

International Response

 

 

Foreign Governments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Nations

 

 

 

 

 

·       The United Nations Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) report they will assist Sri Lanka with internal transport, the lack of stock tracking, the availability of storage facilities, prioritization ad tasking of transport assets, collection, analysis and distribution of logistics relevant data and information, coordination of joint efforts, and operational Civil Military Coordination. A Logistics Operations Center (LOC) has been established on UNHCR premises. It is currently staffed by UNJLC, UNHCR, and IOM staff. LOC will act as a Movement Control Center to establish surface and air corridors where required, and assist in the movement of cargo and persons. A dedicated reporting/information line will be in place soon. (Jan-08, UNJLC)

 

·       UN-HABITAT is working with the overall UN coordination system to prepare emergency and reconstruction proposals for Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Somalia. They will help prioritize the human settlements elements in the interagency response to facilitate the transition from humanitarian relief to long-term recovery and reconstruction, and will contribute to the long-term planning and implementation of broader sustainable recovery of human settlements in the disaster-hit areas. (Jan-05, ReliefWeb)

 

International Humanitarian Relief Organizations

 

Organization activity maps with interactive maps of agencies and their activities in each district can be obtained at the following link:

http://www.humanitarian-srilanka.org/Pages/Tsunami/map/tsunami_map.htm

An illustrated detailed map of the affected districts can be obtained at the following link: http://www.humanitarian-srilanka.org/Pages/Tsunami/map/tsunami_detailmap.htm

(Jan-07, ReliefWeb)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thailand

 

 

Organization

 

Overview…………………………………………………page 24

 

Domestic Response……………………………………page 25

            Government

            Local Humanitarian Organizations

 

International Response…………………………….…page 28

            Foreign Governments

            United Nations

            International Humanitarian Organizations

Thailand Overview

 

Approximately 5,305 people are now dead and 3,498 missing from the tsunamis in Thailand. Interior Minister Bhokin Bhalakula said today that the nationalities of as many as 2,184 people have still not been determined. The number has increased significantly as forensic experts struggled to exhume and re-identify bodies. Thailand has only recently set up a national DNA laboratory. Foreign Ministers from Britain, Canada, Japan, Germany and Norway have been in Thailand since last week, and Spanish, Chinese, US and Scandinavian representatives are expected in coming days.

 

Academics from Chulalongkorn University warned that the government should wait to create more comprehensive and well-planned rehabilitation programs. They are currently working with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry for 2 months, and said politicians were too eager to showcase achievements. For example, some houses were being rebuilt in areas that were hit by the waves and still considered high-risk. Both central and provincial agencies are also working to implement new development plans to restore tourism – however, some plans appear to overlap with each other. In Krabi, there have also been reports that the government has been pushing to buy damaged land, against the wishes of local village owners.

 

Meanwhile, the Law Society of Thailand reports that the bodies of many Myanmar migrant workers are still yet unclaimed. Myanmar human rights advocates say that many are afraid of approaching government offices for fear of being deported. There are reports of lost identity papers, police harassment, and deportation through a border crossing 400 miles away. So far, 1,500 migrant workers have been sent back to Myanmar, while another 500 are in detention for allegedly looting disaster sites. The local NGO, the Law Society of Thailand, said there were 127,714 Myanmar migrants in the 5 affected provinces, but less than 18% were officially registered. World Vision reportedly found 500 Burmese who took refuge inland. In addition, about 3,000 Burmese are in abandoned construction sites in Ranong province. UNICEF says that hundreds of migrant workers from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia have been affected and is working with the Thai government to address their needs. The organization also estimates 50,000 children have been affected. The government has said there are about 334 children orphaned by the disaster, 27 of which have been claimed by relatives.

 

Local officials report 24 IDP camps, each with about 100 people housed in tents and concentrated in Phang Nga Province. Breakdown of IDPs: 5,000 in Phang Nga, 60 in Krabi, 200 in Phuket and 500 in Ranong. (Jan-07, Thai Bureau of Epidemiology as of Jan-01)

 

Breakdown of affected (in families): 5,262 in Phang Nga, 3,425 in Krabi, 1,463 in Phuket, 2,203 in Ranong, 4,962 in Satun and 2,863 in Trang. (Dec-31, The Nation) Total estimated affected population: 100,000 – 120,000 (Jan-05, Bangkok Post)

 

Requests for International Assistance: Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has confirmed that Thailand does not require any financial assistance, but welcomes aid for a tsunami early warning system. The Thai public and private corporations have reportedly donated generously. Thailand declined US$20 million offered by Japan, saying that it should go to other recipient countries in more need. The Thai government instead has asked for aid in the export of agricultural products to assist Thai farmers. Thailand has also asked for the GSP (Generalized System of Preferences), which was revoked by Britain and the EU, to be re-implemented.

 

Coordination: The Thai Ministry of the Interior is in charge of overall relief and recovery effort, which is underway in all affected provinces, and provincial governments are assuming coordination roles. Different cabinet members have been assigned responsibility for the six affected provinces. Three rehabilitation plans developed by three different ministries have been approved by the cabinet. Ten committees have been set up under the deputy prime minister to assist victims. Ministries and provincial governments have been assigned recovery responsibilities. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security has set up Crisis Management Centers in all affected provinces, with an overall coordination in the center in Phuket, which will be closed in one week’s time, according to UN OCHA on January 8. The Nation reported today that tensions reportedly rose among government officials, Buddhist monks and tsunami victims amid allegations of misappropriation of donated goods in Wat Samadridhama. The monks also objected to plans by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry to return members of the ethnic Morgan sea gypsy community to Surin Island. The sea gypsies are technically stateless and do not have Thai citizenship.

 

Logistics: Official search and rescue (SAR) operations concluded and international SAR teams are preparing to leave. Relief continues on some small islands with damaged infrastructure, which rely on flown-in supplies.

 

Food: The Thai Red Cross is primarily responsible for primarily for distributing food.

 

Water/Sanitation: The Thai government is in charge of maintaining water and sanitation systems.

 

Public Health/Medical: There have been no reports of disease outbreaks, however there is an increase in diarrhoeal disease. According to the Department of Mental Health, more than 5,000 people in tsunami-hit areas have sought psychiatric counseling, but only 11 are thought to be in need of hospital treatment. A survey of 400 people living in relief shelters had found that more than half suffer mental problems.

 

Shelter: Thai government agencies and military are building shelters and rebuilding homes, while many NGOs are providing assistance.

 

Security: There are no major security threats in affected regions.

 

Domestic Response

 

Local government

 

 

 

 

(Jan-07, UNOCHA)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Local humanitarian relief organizations

 

 

 

 

International Response

 

Foreign governments

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Nations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International organizations