VZCZCXRO6786
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1467 2451058
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021058Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3231
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHML/USPACOM REP PHILIPPINES MANILA RP
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001467 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, CA/OCS, CA 
NSC FOR J. BADER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV CASC ECON EAID SENV ID
SUBJECT: EARTHQUAKE OFF COAST OF JAVA 
 
REF: JAKARTA(POL-JNOVAK)/OPS CENTER 09/02/09 EMAIL 
 
¶1.  (U) On September 2 at 2:55 p.m. local time, a 7.0 
magnitude earthquake struck western Java, Indonesia.  The 
earthquake was centered off the southern coast of Java, 
approximately 125 miles south of Jakarta, but could be felt 
throughout the capital.  Jakarta citizens rushed out of their 
office buildings after feeling the initial quake, and the 
Embassy in Jakarta was evacuated until the earthquake had 
ended.  There are reports that some tall buildings in Jakarta 
suffered some structural damage.  Contacts have reported that 
there was minor damage to infrastructure, mostly private 
homes, in the city of Bandung, the capitol of West Java 
Province.  Several houses collapsed, including the mayor's 
house, in Tasikmalaya, the city closest to the epicenter on 
the southern coast of Java.  We're receiving media reports of 
a small number of casualties, 6 people killed at the time of 
this report, in Tasikmalaya.  Phone lines were damaged in 
that region as well. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Contacts at the Presidential Palace told us the 
earthquake caused minor damage in parts of Western Java, but 
they did not yet have any reports of serious damage.  The GOI 
has not made any request for assistance.  A tsunami alert was 
issued for the island of Java, but the Pacific Tsunami 
Warning Center had retracted the alert given low sea levels. 
 
¶3.  (U) Mission is working to account for American citizens 
who may have been affected by the earthquake.  American 
Citizens Services has not received any reports of injuries or 
casualties.  The Regional Security Office has accounted for 
all Mission personnel.  Embassy facilities and housing appear 
not to have been damaged though inspections are ongoing. 
HUME