Church World Service Responds to Java Quake
YOGYAKARTA, Java, Indonesia, May 30, 2006 -- With local staff throughout Indonesia, global humanitarian agency Church World Service responded almost immediately following Saturday's 6.3-magnitude earthquake that rocked the island of Java, killing more than 5,400. Church World Service (CWS) is a member of the Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance, which is also responding to the disaster.
According to Church World Service (CWS) Indonesia Country Director Maurice Bloem, the agency's staff on the ground and its local partners immediately distributed an initial supply of nearly 3,000 bottles of water and a supply of blankets to Bethesda Hospital in Yogyakarta, which is receiving many of the injured.
The powerful earthquake struck Indonesia's Central Java province before 6 AM local time, while many were still sleeping. Bloem says Bantul and Klaten districts were hardest hit by the quake. Thousands of homes and public infrastructure were heavily damaged, and aftershocks continue to rock the area. CWS teams are continuing to assess damage and ongoing needs. So far, CWS Indonesia is focusing on ten out of the 11 heavily affected areas in Bantul: Kretek, Parangtritis, Bambanglipuro, Pundong, Sabdodadi, Jetis, Plered, Imogiri, Sewon and Kasihan.
From Washington, Church World Service Emergency Response Program Director Donna Derr says Church World Service is assessing immediate needs in Bantul. "We're distributing food and non-food items to those affected, based on our findings. As of today, CWS has distributed 7,940 bottles of mineral water, 104 packages of biscuits, 1,000 packages of instant noodles, and Church World Service Hygiene Kits, Baby Kits and CWS Blankets." Derr says Church World Service has distributed water and food rations to 500 households in four sub-districts of Bantul: Kretek, Parangtritis, Tambang Dipuro, and Pundong.
Bloem said a shipment containing family tents, more CWS hygiene kits and blankets arrived in Solo airport Sunday from CWS's warehouse in Medan, South Sumatra, and aid workers will distribute those supplies tomorrow (Tues May 30) in the Boyolali district.
Church World Service's longer term response plans include ongoing provision of food and non-food assistance; water and sanitation system rehabilitation, home repair and reconstruction, livelihood recovery, and health and psychosocial support services.
Derr says Church World Service and other INGOs, already on alert for possible eruption of Mount Merapi, turned to responding to the millions affected by the Saturday quake.
In Indonesia, Bloem says CWS local partner Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU) is evacuating injured children to Tegalyoso Hospital in Klaten and the agency's partner Yayasan Tanggul Bencana is providing staff to help coordinate the distribution of food and medicine.
On Saturday, CWS partner Yakkum Emergency Unit began providing medical services and assessments in the affected areas through mobile clinics that are each staffed by medical teams of doctors, nurses and support staff. Yakkum has also established health posts to provide medical services.
Church World Service's Bloem says the Yakkum mobile clinic teams are reporting that in each village they visited, 80 to 98 percent of houses are damaged, hundreds of people are injured, and up to 100 people were killed. The team reports inadequate shelter to protect survivors from rain, a lack of first aid kits and medicines, no adequate latrines or other sanitation facilities, and a need for food and essential non-food items.
"Indonesia is still recovering from tsunami devastation," says Derr. "Our hearts are with those affected by this latest earthquake in Java and those who may have lost loved ones." Church World Service is still in the process of supporting long term recovery and livelihood programs in Indonesia following the region's deadly tsunami in December 2005.
Derr says Church World Service International is accepting contributions to assist in relief and recovery from the Java earthquake.
Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Contributions may also be made by credit card online, or by calling: 800-297-1516, ext. 222.
Media Contacts: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin (24/7), 781-925-1526; jdragin@gis.net NOTE TO EDITORS: Please include Church World Service on your list of organizations accepting accepting contributions to assist in relief and recovery from the Java earthquake. http://churchworldservice.org
Contributions may be sent to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Contributions may also be made by credit card online, or by calling: 800-297-1516, ext. 222.
Church World Service is the humanitarian relief agency of 35 Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican denominations in the United States, with 60 years of experience in disaster response. We are a member of the InterAction alliance.