VZCZCXRO1564
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1666/01 2780953
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 050953Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3488
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7964
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 8819
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001666 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP, CA 
STATE FOR USAID 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA CCHAN, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, AND RMT 
USAID FOR ANE KROSEN 
BANGKOK FOR ADWYER 
NSC FOR CPRATT 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
PACOM POLAD/J3/J5 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV CASC ECON EAID SENV ID PHUM AEMR ASEC CASC
MARR, PREL, PINR, AMGT, EAID, AQ, LA, RP, TN, VM, WS 
 
SUBJECT:  MGEAP1:  INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #1: 
ARRIVAL OF USAID/DART 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  In response to the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that occurred off 
the coast of Sumatra Island, Indonesia, the U.S. Government (USG) 
has begun providing humanitarian assistance to support Government of 
Indonesia (GoI) response efforts.  Nine members of the USAID 
Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) have arrived in 
country, and six of these individuals are currently in Padang.  The 
humanitarian community continues to receive conflicting reports of 
the number of people killed and affected by the earthquake, as well 
as the structural damage inflicted by the quake.  The U.S. 
Department of Defense (DoD) and USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign 
Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) are providing humanitarian 
assistance to affected populations.  End summary. 
 
--------------------- 
Arrival of USAID/DART 
--------------------- 
 
¶2.  On October 3 and 4, nine members of the USAID/DART arrived in 
Jakarta, with two additional USAID/DART members scheduled to arrive 
on October 5.  On October 5, six members of the USAID/DART are 
scheduled to fly from Jakarta to Padang to establish a USAID/DART 
field office and begin conducting assessments and coordinating with 
the GoI and members of the humanitarian community. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Effects of September 30 Earthquake 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  Various reports about the number of people affected by the 
earthquake are circulating within the humanitarian community. 
According to U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) staff in Padang, the 
GoI Command Center in Padang reports that the earthquake resulted in 
the deaths of 608 people, with 343 people missing.  The numbers of 
dead and missing are likely to rise, however, as rescue efforts 
continue.  The earthquake severely damaged 81,863 buildings, 
inflicted moderate damage on 34,806 buildings, and lightly damaged 
69,189 buildings. 
 
¶4.  Following an October 4 trip to Padang, DoJ staff members 
reported that approximately 20 percent of the electrical grid in 
Padang was functioning.  Fuel is in short supply, as damage to the 
electrical grid has left many fuel pumps inoperable.  Contrary to 
earlier reports, however, bottled water is readily available for 
purchase in Padang town.  In Padang, the USAID/DART will assess 
humanitarian conditions and attempt to verify divergent reports 
about the effects of the quake. 
 
------------------------ 
Rescue Efforts in Padang 
------------------------ 
 
¶5.  According to DoJ personnel in Padang, intermittent rains on 
October 4 and 5 in Padang have slowed rescue operations. 
 
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USG Assistance 
-------------- 
 
¶6.  A U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Humanitarian Assistance Rapid 
Response Team (HARRT) is scheduled to arrive in country on October 
5, with setup to begin as quickly as transport is available from the 
airfield to the site.  A mobile medical unit, the HARRT will be able 
to treat between 200 and 250 patients per day and is expandable in a 
modular format. 
 
¶7.  In addition, DoD is providing helicopters which can transport 
humanitarian personnel and cargo.  The first of these may arrive by 
mid-week. 
 
¶8.  USAID/OFDA is airlifting humanitarian relief commodities from 
its warehouse in Dubai to Padang.  The commodities are tentatively 
scheduled to arrive in country on October 6 and will be consigned to 
the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia, or PMI).  The 
 
JAKARTA 00001666  002 OF 002 
 
 
airlift includes plastic sheeting, hygiene kits, and power generator 
sets. 
 
¶9.  USAID/OFDA has provided an initial $300,000 in humanitarian 
assistance to affected populations and has reserved an additional $3 
million for the earthquake response.  In accordance with the 
USAID/DART assessments of humanitarian conditions in Padang and 
surrounding areas, USAID/OFDA may provide additional funding for 
humanitarian assistance if necessary. 
 
Osius#