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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4837
INFO RUHPSAA/SOCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
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RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 9514
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0715
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0869
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 3209
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 9818
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY 0175
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0849
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 JAKARTA 006658 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC SOCI PREF PGOV SENV ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA: MAY 29 EARTHQUAKE SITREP 
 
REF: JAKARTA 06653 MAY 28 EMBASSY MEETING RE EARTHQUAKE 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck early May 
27 south of the central Java town of Yogyakarta, causing 
widespread destruction and high fatalities.  The current 
death toll has reached 5,010 with an additional 14,000 
injured in the earthquake, with 8,000 requiring surgery 
(hospital capacity in Yogyakarta and surrounding area was 
3,000 before the earthquake).  Casualty figures are expected 
to increase as rescuers dig additional victims from the 
rubble.  The earthquake damaged more than 25,000 houses, 
10,000 of which collapsed entirely, leaving more than 100,000 
persons homeless.  Embassy on-the-ground staff report more 
than 95 percent damage to the village of Kotasan near 
Prambanan.  The Indonesian Government estimates damage in 
excess of $300 million.  Heavy evening rains have exacerbated 
harsh conditions for survivors. 
 
¶2.  (U) The Yogyakarta airport has reopened to receive relief 
flights and authorities have restored many services in the 
city, though the area closest to the quake remains without 
power or running water.  Medical personnel are caring for a 
majority of patients outside of hospitals, for fear of 
structural damage to medical facilities.  The U.S. has 
provided an initial $2.5 million in emergency relief supplies 
for the earthquake from Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance 
(OFDA) funds.  The U.S. Pacific Command has dispatched an 
82-member medical team from the Third Marine Brigade based in 
Okinawa.  The first elements of the team will arrive in 
Yogyakarta the evening of May 29, with the remainder arriving 
May 30.  Embassy teams are currently in the field conducting 
assessments in Yogyakarta, Klaten and Bantul, and making 
preparations for the U.S. Marine medical team.  The Embassy 
team is in close coordination with the local government and 
other donors (UN, AusAID, Oxfam, other NGOs).  The team 
reports that in Klaten, 90 percent of houses in the most 
affected sub-district sustained damage, and survivors still 
have received no visible assistance and remain huddled near 
their destroyed houses. 
 
¶3.  (U) The Indonesian Government May 29 assembled donor 
countries and international organizations in Jakarta to 
provide a situation report and outline key GOI decisions: 
the GOI will focus on reconstruction of housing to avoid 
keeping large numbers of survivors in temporary shelters; the 
GOI intends to revive the Yogyakarta region's economy through 
"massive cash infusions," particularly through compensation 
to individuals for losses (to include cash payments of Rp 2 
million ($220) in cash for each deceased family member); 
Coordinating Minister for Peoples' Welfare Abu Rizal Bakrie 
will assume overall responsibility for the relief effort. 
¶4.  (U) The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) 
and Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), a UN team (comprised of 
UNOCHA, World Food Program, and UNICEF), Oxfam, Singapore 
Mercy, Plan International, CWS, and other agencies are 
already conducting fieldwork, including quick situation 
assessments, and are holding daily coordinating meetings. 
The frequency of aftershocks from the earthquake has 
diminished.  Volcanic activity, already high at the Mt. 
Merapi volcano, located approximately 20 km north of 
Yogyakarta, may have increased slightly since Saturday,s 
quake with a general increase in the number of rock falls and 
pyroclastic flows.  USGS geologists warn that Merapi,s 
reaction to the quake may yet play out, citing examples of 
tectonic earthquakes that were followed by some increase in 
activity at Merapi.  End Summary 
 
May 27 Quake Rocks Historic Central Java 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) On Saturday, May 27, at 5:50 a.m., an earthquake 
struck Central Java with a magnitude of 6.2 on the Richter 
scale, centered in the Indian Ocean about 25-30 km south of 
Yogyakarta.  Although major earthquakes of this kind are rare 
in Java, Indonesian government geologists say the quake 
occurred along a long-mapped fault that runs northeast from 
near the city of Parangtritis, on the south coast just south 
of Yogyakarta, north-northeast into Klaten province, just 
east of the famous 10th century Prambanan Temple, 
 
JAKARTA 00006658  002 OF 005 
 
 
approximately 20 km east of Yogyakarta.  The Yogyakarta 
airport was damaged in the quake but has reopened to receive 
relief flights.  Both train and bus transportation to and 
within Yogyakarta has been restarted.  Authorities restored 
electricity to most of the Yogyakarta area, but the area 
closest to the quake remains without power or running water. 
Telecommunications remain intermittent in much of the area, 
but are gradually improving. 
 
Death Toll Climbs to 5,010 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) As of late May 29, the death toll stood at 5,010. 
Data of reported deaths by regency: 
 
Bantul: 3,082 dead 
Sleman: 174 dead 
Yogyakarta: 151 dead 
Gunung Kidul: 42 dead 
Kulon Progo: 15 dead 
Klaten: 1542 dead 
Magelang: 1 dead 
Boyolali: 3 dead 
 
Damage Assessment 
----------------- 
 
¶7. (U) An earlier, May 27 United Nation assessment of damage 
in the six most-affected areas: 
 
-- Njetis (population 49,000): 80 percent of buildings 
reported damaged with 100 fatalities.  Evacuees are 
concentrated in shelters with location for future camp 
allocated.  Well water is available to evacuees, with 
on-going evacuation using 2 buses. 
 
-- Imogiri: 80-99 percent of buildings reported damaged with 
58 fatalities.  Evacuees are concentrated in 5 settlements 
(Kebon Agung, Sriharjo, Selopamioko, Cermai, Wukirsari, 
Girirejo), with location available for future camp.  Well and 
river water available to evacuees, but not sufficient. 
Evacuation is ongoing. 
 
-- Sawon (population 76,000):  Evacuees are concentrated in 3 
settlements (Bangunharjo, Timbulharo and Pendowoharjo).  Well 
water and public kitchen services provided by local community 
available to evacuees. 
 
-- Pundong: (population 33,000) 90 percent of buildings 
reported damaged.  Evacuees are concentrated into 2 
settlements.  Water source is unusable due to the impact of 
the earthquake. 
-- Pleret (population 34,000):  80%-90% of buildings reported 
damaged.  Evacuees are concentrated into 2 settlements with 2 
future camp sites available. 
 
-- Bangunpapan:  75 percent of buildings reported damaged. 
Evacuees are concentrated in one settlement located in 
Lapangan Jambitan.  Evacuees reported gathering in any 
available open areas but are without shelter. 
 
Injuries and Destruction 
------------------------ 
 
¶8. (U) As of late Monday, May 29, some 14,000 appear injured 
in the earthquake, with 8,000 requiring surgery (hospital 
capacity Yogyakarta and surrounding area was 3,000 before the 
earthquake).  Casualty figures are expected to increase as 
rescuers dig additional victims from the rubble.  Many of the 
dead were immediately buried, and many of the injured victims 
were taken home without being treated by the area,s 
overwhelmed medical facilities.  The earthquake damaged more 
than 25,000 houses, 10,000 of which collapsed entirely, 
leaving more than 100,000 persons homeless.  Embassy 
on-the-ground staff report more than 95 percent damage to the 
village of Kotasan near Prambanan.  The Indonesian Government 
estimates damage in excess of $300 million.  Heavy evening 
rains have exacerbated conditions for survivors. Casualty 
figures are expected to increase, although the exact numbers 
 
JAKARTA 00006658  003 OF 005 
 
 
of victims are difficult to collect. 
 
President Yudhoyono On The Scene 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (U) President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono decided to 
coordinate the emergency response for the next four days out 
of a temporary office in Yogyakarta.  GOI officials told the 
press the Government had prepared a total of $32 million for 
earthquake disaster response out of the 2006 emergency 
budget. TNI has mobilized 1,000 personnel and will provide 
heavy equipment, tents, medical equipment and supplies.  The 
Indonesian Government reported late May 28 it would allocate 
$107 million to help rebuild the Yogyakarta region over the 
next year.  Yudhoyono acknowledged a "lack of coordination" 
in aid distribution when he visited refugees May 29 and 
called for government officials to be "more agile," adding 
that "I saw in many areas that there are many things that 
need to be speeded up."  Yudhoyono -- criticized by some as 
being hesitant to act in the past -- spent the first night 
after Saturday's quake sleeping in a tent along with 
survivors and moved his office to the nearby city of 
Yogyakarta to supervise relief operations. 
 
GOI Assembles Donors 
-------------------- 
 
¶10.  (U) Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani assembled donors the 
afternoon of May 29 to provide a situation report and 
describe GOI priorities.  DCM and Embassy USAID Program 
Coordinator attended for the U.S.; most all Embassies and 
international organizations sent representatives.  Because 
President Yudhoyono summoned Mulyani to join him in 
Yogyakarta, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs 
Boediono chaired the meeting.  Most country representatives 
briefed on individual donor plans or proposed assistance; the 
UN representative called for greater donor coordination and 
said that he would call for a meeting of NGOs May 30 to 
coordinate assistance. 
 
¶11.  (U) Boediono reported that the GOI had established three 
priorities.  The first was to focus on reconstruction of 
housing to avoid keeping large numbers of survivors in 
temporary housing.  He said the GOI wanted to "push 
decision-making as low as possible" and provide "block cash 
grants" to accelerate reconstruction.  Second, the GOI 
intended to revive the Yogyakarta region's economy through 
"massive cash infusions," particularly through compensation 
to individuals for losses, to include cash payments of Rp 2 
million ($200) in cash for each deceased family member. 
Finally, Boediono announced that Coordinating Minister for 
Peoples' Welfare Abu Rizal Bakrie would have overall 
responsibility for the relief effort, although he somewhat 
confusingly urged donors to make contact with local 
authorities as well. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) President Yudhoyono clearly has put Boediono and 
other officials under pressure to move quickly to address 
Yogyakarta's problems and speed reconstruction.  Several 
donors asked Boediono for a "negative list" of items 
Indonesian officials do not need to enable donors to focus 
assistance more effectively.  The EU representative and 
several European embassies urged the GOI to develop an 
"Eighteen Month Reconstruction Plan."  Several donors 
expressed their admiration for the speed of the U.S. response. 
 
Medical Resources Stretched 
--------------------------- 
 
¶13. (U) Embassy Jakarta and CG Surabaya personnel in the area 
on May 28 reported an estimated 6,500 patients interned in 5 
large hospitals and 8 small hospitals.  Of these patients, 
3,000 are interned in Bantul Regency hospitals, 2,000 in 
Sardjito General Hospital in Yogyakarta proper, and 1,500 in 
other regional hospitals.   One field hospital is available 
in Bantul near the Indonesian Red Cross building.  Injured 
are mostly reporting broken bones and head injuries.  Medical 
personnel are caring for a majority of patients outside of 
the hospitals due to fears of structural damage to the 
 
JAKARTA 00006658  004 OF 005 
 
 
buildings.  Indonesian teams are performing structural 
analysis of the hospitals.  Additional burdens to local 
hospitals include a high number of family members and friends 
of victims who have temporarily relocated themselves to the 
hospital facilities in order to care for injured family. 
 
¶14. (U) Hospitals report that they have approximately two 
more days of medical supplies.  Required medications include 
antibiotics, antiseptics, pain killers, anesthetics, 
intravenous solution, bandages, x-ray film, needles and 
suturing thread, latex gloves and other basic medical 
supplies.  Other needs include field or mobile hospitals, 
first aid kits, medical waste disposal, additional medical 
staff, and vehicles to bring injured to hospitals/clinics. 
 
Homeless Increase Shelter, Food, Sanitation Concerns 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶15. (U) The estimated 100,000 homeless scattered throughout 
the Yogyakarta region have moved to available open spaces, 
fearing the collapse of formal structures.  Running water is 
still available in Yogykarta proper, but remains unavailable 
in Bantul.  No water or sanitation facilities exist in most 
of the present shelters.  Sanitation and waste disposal has 
become an issue at hospitals due to the burden placed on 
existing facilities by the number of patients and their 
attending families and friends.  Disaster relief coordinators 
associated with the GOI report a lack of tents, plastic 
tarps, blankets and sleeping mats. 
 
Disaster Relief Response 
------------------------ 
 
¶16. (U) The U.S. has provided an initial $2.5 million in 
emergency relief supplies for the earthquake from Office of 
Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) funds.  Embassy USAID 
staff are currently in the field, conducting assessments in 
Yogyakarta, Klaten and Bantul.  They are in close 
coordination with the local government and other donors (UN, 
AusAID, Oxfam, other NGOs).  The U.S. Pacific Command has 
dispatched an 82-member medical team from the Third Marine 
Brigade based in Okinawa.  The first elements of the team 
will arrive in Yogykarta the evening of May 29, with the 
remainder arriving May 30. 
 
¶17.  (U) On May 29, an Embassy Environmental Services Program 
team began to conduct water supply and sanitation assessments 
at evacuation camps and hospitals.  Assistance required to 
provide water and sanitation facilities includes water 
tanks/bladders, water tank cars, water pumps, equipment for 
producing drinking water, public restrooms, solid waste 
management (in coordination with GOI sanitation management 
authorities), garbage receptacles, and additional water 
resources (in coordination with local GOI water management 
authorities).  In some camps, the Indonesian military and the 
Indonesian Red Cross have provided field kitchens.  The World 
Food Program and the GOI,s National Logistics Board are 
currently arranging to provide foodstuffs for evacuees. 
Exact details regarding these arrangements are unavailable at 
this time.  Additional foodstuffs including baby food and 
formula are required.  Hygiene kits are currently being 
prepared for distribution to evacuees and generators are 
needed, especially at the hospitals/clinics. 
 
Assistance from Other Donors 
---------------------------- 
 
¶18. (U) The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) 
and Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), a UN team (comprised of 
UNOCHA, World Food Program, and UNICEF), Oxfam, Singapore 
Mercy, Plan International, CWS, and other agencies are 
already conducting fieldwork, including quick situation 
assessments and hold daily coordinating meetings.  The UN 
Disaster Assistance Coordination Team (UNDAC) has deployed 
in-country staff to assess shelter, water and sanitation, 
food supplies and health facilities.  In their on-going 
assessment UNDAC has preliminarily determined that 
distribution of supplies is problematic, while supply itself 
not an issue.  This assessment team feels at this time that 
 
JAKARTA 00006658  005 OF 005 
 
 
there are enough resources to support their operation and 
thus feels that they will not appeal for further donations. 
 
¶19.  (U) International assistance includes: 
 
Singapore: Four Singapore C-130 military cargo planes arrived 
May 28 at Yogyakarta airport with doctors and medical 
supplies. Singapore's personnel consist of medical teams (25 
persons), civil defense disaster relief team (43 persons), 
and command team (14 persons), including eight medical 
doctors.  They will be deployed to Jetis sub-district in 
Bantul district. 
 
Malaysia: A Malaysian rescue team arrived today, consisting 
of a search and rescue team (56 persons) plus medical and 
command teams.  They will be deployed to Plered sub-district 
in Bantul district. 
 
Philippines: The Philippines will deploy a 20-member 
Philippine medical contingent with three tons of relief goods 
and medicine this week, according to Philippine officials. 
The team of doctors, nurses, psychologists and orthopaedic 
surgeons will leave as early as Tuesday aboard a Philippine 
air force C-130 plane for Jakarta, officials said. 
 
Italy:  Sending an aircraft with 27 tons of tents, blankets 
and water purification equipment. 
 
Canada:  Has offered $1.8 million and plans to send an 11-man 
reconnaissance team. 
 
China:  Has offered $2 million 
 
Taiwan:  Sent C-130 with supplies. 
 
EC:  The European Commission has pledged US$ 3.8 million in 
emergency assistance. 
 
Quake Prompts Slight Increase in Merapi,s Activity 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶20. (U) Aftershocks from the May 27 earthquake have 
significantly reduced in number since Saturday, although on 
May 28 geologists still noted several aftershocks.  Volcanic 
activity at the Mt. Merapi volcano, located approximately 20 
km north of Yogyakarta, had been high for several weeks 
preceding the earthquake and may have increased slightly 
since.  The main direction of pyroclastic flows has also 
shifted, but it remains unclear if this is a fundamental or 
temporary change.  Seismic activity since the quake is 
dominated by aftershocks but there has also been a general 
increase in the number of rockfalls and pyroclastic flows, 
many of which flow into a river valley that extends right 
down into the area hardest hit by the earthquake.  USGS 
geologists warn that Merapi,s reaction to the quake may yet 
play out, citing examples of tectonic earthquakes that were 
followed by some increase in activity at Merapi.  They will 
continue to work closely with Indonesian geologists to 
monitor the situation, including any increase in the 
extrusion rate that might escalate into explosive activity. 
The Merapi observatory suffered moderate damage in the 
earthquake but is now fully operational. 
PASCOE