VZCZCXRO4137
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1688/01 2801020
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071020Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3526
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7972
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1076
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 8825
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001688 
 
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 
USUN FOR DMERCADO 
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 #3 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  As of October 6, the September 30 earthquake in Indonesia has 
resulted in at least 704 deaths and left an additional 295 people 
missing.  Preliminary damage assessments indicate that the 
humanitarian situation in Padang is stabilizing.  The cluster system 
in Padang appears well managed and highly effective.  On October 6, 
the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART), the U.S. 
Charge d'Affaires, the U.S. Pacific Command-designated Mission 
Commander, and Medan Principal Officer met with Government of 
Indonesia (GoI) officials and humanitarian organizations, visited 
affected areas in Padang, and toured the U.S. Department of Defense 
(DoD) Humanitarian Assistance Rapid Response Team (HARRT).  The 
USAID/DART continues to assess conditions and aims to complete a 
program strategy as early as October 7.  DoD continues to support 
the humanitarian response, including through the HARRT, ships en 
route to Padang, and helicopters that will provide heavy lift 
capacity.  End summary. 
 
------------------------- 
Number of People Affected 
------------------------- 
 
¶2.  As reported by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of 
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the GoI National Disaster Management 
Agency (BNPB) confirmed on October 6 that the earthquake caused 704 
deaths, with the majority in Padang city.  An additional 295 people 
are reported missing.  The number of casualties is expected to 
increase. 
 
----------------------------- 
Preliminary Damage Assessment 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3.  Various reports indicate that the humanitarian situation in 
Padang appears to be stabilizing, and that needs are being met 
through a combination of GoI and local charitable resources as well 
as through relief agency support.  According to the USAID/DART, 
preliminary damage assessments indicate that the most severely 
affected areas are north and east of Padang in Padang Pariaman and 
Agam districts.  Access to the most affected areas has reportedly 
not been a problem. 
 
¶4.  As reported by OCHA, the GoI BNPB confirmed that the quake 
severely damaged 88,272 houses, inflicted moderate damage on 43,323 
houses, and slightly damaged 47,076 houses.  The GoI Ministry of 
Health reported that 4 hospitals, 12 community health centers, and 
10 supporting community health centers have collapsed.  The GoI 
Ministry of Health has established field hospitals and deployed 
3,000 health workers to the affected areas. 
 
¶5.  According to OCHA, the U.N. Development Program (UNDP) reported 
that in Padang and Padang Pariaman, the majority of buildings, 
particularly single story residential housing, have sustained little 
or no damage. However, many multi-story buildings have either 
collapsed or sustained significant damaged.  In outlying villages, 
particularly in Padang Pariaman, housing sustained significant 
damage.  UNDP reported that the earthquake destroyed between 70 and 
100 percent of houses in remote villages.  In these areas, villagers 
have established temporary shelters in front of houses and have 
begun to recycle building materials from damaged houses. 
 
¶6.  UNDP, according to OCHA, has confirmed at least three locations 
in Padang Pariaman district where large-scale landslides occurred, 
destroying entire villages and agricultural land.  Options for 
recovery work in areas affected by landslides are limited, as many 
slopes remain unstable and heavy rains are increasing the risk of 
further landslides. 
 
------------------------- 
Humanitarian Coordination 
 
JAKARTA 00001688  002 OF 002 
 
 
------------------------- 
 
¶7.  The USAID/DART reports that the cluster meetings appear to be 
well managed and that the cluster system seems highly effective. 
This is likely due to the fact that many of the cluster leads in 
West Sumatra were previously working on the response to the May 2006 
earthquake in West Java.  These cluster leads are bringing tools 
used in West Java to assist with coordination in West Sumatra. 
Clusters have significant capacity in West Sumatra also because NGOs 
have transferred staff from Aceh to West Sumatra and have been able 
to mobilize relief commodities stockpiled in Medan or close to Aceh. 
 The humanitarian community has built capacity in Indonesia since 
the 2004 tsunami, and this strengthened capacity is benefiting the 
current humanitarian response. 
 
------------------------------- 
USAID/DART Activities in Padang 
------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  On October 6, U.S. Charge d'Affaires Ted Osius, U.S. Pacific 
Command-designated Mission Commander RADM Landolt, and Medan 
Principal Officer met with GoI officials and NGO representatives, 
visited affected areas in Padang, and toured the DoD HARRT.  The 
delegation's visit received significant positive local media 
coverage, and the group spoke about U.S. capabilities and 
contributions at every opportunity.  (Comment: The USG has received 
other positive media coverage, including through the BBC, which 
reported that the USG is providing "millions of dollars" to 
earthquake efforts.  End comment.) 
 
¶9.  On October 6, the USAID/DART met with the U.K. Department for 
International Development (DFID) Conflict, Humanitarian, and 
Security Department (CHASE) team, which, like the USAID/DART, is a 
deployable, rapid-response humanitarian team.  The USAID/DART and 
the DFID/CHASE discussed program coordination.  DFID's preliminary 
planning has been focused on shelter and water and includes plans to 
program nearly $4.8 million through NGOs rather than U.N. agencies. 
 
 
¶10.  On October 6, the USAID/DART also met with NGOs operating in 
the area to determine possible geographic gaps in coverage and to 
ascertain priority humanitarian needs at present.  The USAID/DART is 
using this information to formulate a program strategy, which will 
be circulated as early as October 7. 
 
¶11.  The flight containing relief commodities from USAID's Office of 
U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), originating in Dubai, 
has been postponed due to unexpected delays.  The USAID/DART is 
working to expedite the arrival of the flight in Padang as soon as 
possible on October 8.  Further information on the flight will be 
reported septel. 
 
----------------------- 
DoD Earthquake Response 
----------------------- 
 
¶12.  The DoD HARRT, or mobile medical unit, was fully functional in 
Padang as of 0800 hours local time on October 7.  The HARRT will 
augment local medical facilities to treat medical needs.  Two U.S. 
ships are en route to Padang and scheduled to arrive on October 9, 
and an additional ship is scheduled to arrive on October 10. 
Helicopters with heavy lift capacity are arriving on the ships. 
Five helicopters will be operational on October 9. 
 
¶13.  The USAID/DART is fielding requests from NGOs to airlift 
supplies and teams on DoD helicopters to remote areas.  The 
USAID/DART is working on a system to effectively fill these requests 
and may work with the U.N. Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) to do so. 
 
 
Osius#