Indonesia: United Nations sending emergency team to Yogyakarta

(Geneva, 28 May 2006): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is dispatching a Disaster Assessment and Coordination team to support UN coordination efforts in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia, that was hit by a violent earthquake on 27 May 2006, and is releasing an emergency cash grant of USD 50,000 to meet the most urgent needs of the survivors.

Measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale, the earthquake killed over 4,600 people and injured over 20,000 persons according to the Government. Up to 25,000 houses are reported damaged, 4,000 of which are completely destroyed, and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that 100,000 people may be homeless. People in the affected areas are living in temporary shelters established nearby their houses fearing after shocks and hence tarpaulin, tents, plastic sheets are urgently needed. As of today, 10 camps have been established in Bantul district to provide shelters to the victims.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is coordinating the emergency response for the next four days out of his temporary office in Yogyakarta. The Secretary to the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare says the Government has prepared a total budget of Indonesian rupees 300 billion for earthquake disaster response out of the 2006 emergency budget. Indonesian Armed forces (TNI) have mobilized 1,000 personnel and will provide heavy equipment, tents, medical equipment and supplies. The Government has stressed the urgent need for additional field hospitals and medical staff to deal with the wounded.

OCHA has established an Information Centre within the Government Office in Bantul. The first UN- NGO coordination meeting was held in Bantul on 27 May, and a joint inter-agency assessment team arrived today in the affected areas to conduct a rapid needs assessment mission. Led by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the team comprises representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), CARE and OCHA. Leaving from Banda Aceh, a UN Humanitarian Air Service flight arrived this morning in Solo, the closest airport, with medical teams and two tonnes of medical supplies from NGOs.

In addition to coordination activities in the field, OCHA will organise tomorrow, in Geneva, information meetings for humanitarian partners and Member States.