VZCZCXRO9492
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1726/01 2870937
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 140937Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3578
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7986
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1090
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 8843
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 03 JAKARTA 001726 
 
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:  INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #7:  USAID/DART 
ASSESSES MENTAWAI ISLANDS AND DOD REDEPLOYS FORCES 
 
REF:  JAKARTA 01715 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  The USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) 
continues to assess emergency shelter needs, in light of recent 
reports that the September 30 earthquake damaged more than 265,000 
houses and destroyed the majority of brick kilns that serve affected 
areas.  Following an assessment in the Mentawai Islands, the 
USAID/DART reports that areas assessed sustained little damage, and 
short-term food insecurity has been resolved.  The USAID/DART has 
concluded aerial assessments of landslides caused by the earthquake 
and is sharing GPS coordinates of affected areas with the 
humanitarian community.  In close coordination with the U.S. Embassy 
in Jakarta and the USAID/DART, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) 
has determined that the demand for air transportation of relief 
commodities has decreased and is concluding its response to the 
earthquake.  End summary. 
 
----------------------- 
Shelter and Settlements 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  The USAID/DART continues to assess emergency shelter needs and 
work with other members of the humanitarian community and 
implementing partners to help meet such needs.  As of October 13, 
the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 
and the Government of Indonesia (GoI) National Disaster Management 
Agency (BNPB) reported that the earthquake had damaged more than 
265,000 houses, including more than 135,000 houses severely damaged 
or destroyed.  As noted in the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), 
early shelter assessments indicated that more than 70,000 households 
have unmet needs for emergency shelter assistance. 
 
¶3.  Participants in the October 13 Shelter Cluster meeting in Padang 
reported that the emergency phase, as defined by the GoI, may be 
shortened from one month to a lesser period.  At the end of the 
emergency phase, the GoI will begin tabulating the total number of 
damaged houses for the planned GoI compensation plan.  While details 
are not yet finalized, the GoI will likely provide cash assistance 
to families whose houses were damaged or destroyed.  The USAID/DART 
hopes that a GoI compensation program will build upon lessons 
learned from a similar program implemented by the GoI after the May 
2006 earthquake in Java. 
 
¶4.  Most houses in earthquake-affected areas are constructed of 
brick or stone.  The brick producer that provided 60 percent of the 
bricks for markets in earthquake-affected areas lost all of the 
kilns in the earthquake and is at present unable to produce bricks. 
Smaller brick producers that produce lower-quality bricks, however, 
continue to operate.  As reported reftel, a shortage in the supply 
of bricks could cause the price of bricks to increase and/or 
households to use lower-quality bricks for rebuilding damaged or 
destroyed houses.  Oxfam is conducting a market survey of the brick 
market, according to Oxfam representatives at the recent Shelter 
Cluster meeting.  The USAID/DART, including the shelter and 
settlements specialist scheduled to arrive in country on October 16, 
is closely following this issue. 
 
--------------------- 
USAID/DART Activities 
--------------------- 
 
-- Assessment of Mentawai Islands -- 
 
¶5.  On October 13, the USAID/DART field officer assessed 
humanitarian conditions in the Mentawai Islands, located off the 
coast of Sumatra southwest of Padang.  Prior to conducting the 
assessment, conditions were unknown in the absence of formal 
assessments.  Given the islands' proximity to the epicenter of the 
 
JAKARTA 00001726  002 OF 003 
 
 
earthquake, the USAID/DART was concerned that the islands might have 
sustained considerable damage. 
 
¶6.  The USAID/DART field officer accompanied the non-governmental 
organization (NGO) SurfAid to Muara Siberut, located in Siberut 
Selatan Sub-District on the southeastern part of Siberut Island.  In 
this town of 7,200, the team met with the camat (sub-district head) 
to discuss current needs.  The camat reported that the most pressing 
need was for school tents to replace the damaged schools.  The field 
officer reported this need to the Education Cluster, which is 
following up.  The USAID/DART field officer observed very little 
noticeable infrastructure damage, as most houses remain intact. 
Water points are operational, and irrigation canals continue to 
function. 
 
¶7.  Immediately following the earthquake, food security issues 
arose, as the ferry service that ran between Padang and the Mentawai 
islands was interrupted.  Most families on the island grow a portion 
of their food but also rely on market purchases to make up the 
shortfall.  The ferry service interruption resulted in temporary 
food insecurity due to lack of available food.  However, the camat 
reported that the ferry service had resumed and that food was now 
available for purchase on area markets.  Market inspection confirmed 
this statement.  The program officer spoke with families who 
confirmed being able to purchase food in the market and reported 
that the price had not significantly increased.  Thus, localized 
food insecurity was a temporary issue which was addressed through 
the resumption of the ferry service. 
 
¶8.  Part of Siberut Island lies in closer proximity to the epicenter 
of the September 30 quake than does Muara Siberut, which the 
USAID/DART assessed.  The USAID/DART has received preliminary 
reports that the northeastern part of the island sustained more 
damage the Muara Siberut.  The International Organization for 
Migration (IOM) is currently conducting assessments in northeastern 
Siberut.  The USAID/DART will continue to monitor the situation. 
 
-- Aerial Assessments of Landslides -- 
 
¶9.  On October 14, the USAID/DART finished conducting aerial 
assessments of landslides caused by the earthquake.  The USAID/DART 
collected GPS coordinates and photos of each landslide; this 
information will be used in a comprehensive map of landslides caused 
by the September 30 quake.  The USAID/DART will also share this 
information with the GoI and the humanitarian clusters. 
 
-- Visit of Emergency Relief Coordinator -- 
 
¶10.  From October 13 to 15, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for 
Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes is 
visiting earthquake-affected areas of West Sumatra Province.  On 
October 14, the USAID/DART attended a meeting of humanitarian relief 
agencies in Padang, conducted by the Emergency Relief Coordinator. 
At the request of the Indonesian Military (TNI), the U.S. Department 
of Defense (DoD) is providing helicopter support for the Emergency 
Relief Coordinator's visit. 
 
-- USAID/OFDA Programming and Planning -- 
 
¶11.  As of October 13, USAID/OFDA and the USAID/DART had programmed 
more than $4.8 million in humanitarian assistance in response to the 
earthquake.  Funding is supporting mobile medical clinics for 90 
days; the procurement and distribution of emergency relief supplies, 
including household relief items and tools; programs to address 
water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs; and additional shelter 
and WASH programs implemented by a consortium of NGOs. 
 
-------------------------- 
DoD Response to Earthquake 
-------------------------- 
 
¶12.  In close coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and the 
 
JAKARTA 00001726  003 OF 003 
 
 
USAID/DART, DoD has determined that the demand for air 
transportation of relief commodities has decreased as outlying areas 
have become more accessible.  Consequently, DoD is completing its 
response to the earthquake and has begun to redeploy forces.  The 
U.S.S. McCampbell departed from Indonesian waters on October 13, and 
the U.S.S. Denver, U.S.N.S. Byrd, and the C-130 cargo plane are 
scheduled to depart on October 14. 
 
¶13.  As of October 13, DoD fixed and rotary wing aircraft had 
transported 891 passengers and 380,500 pounds of cargo.  On October 
13, the Humanitarian Assistance Rapid Response Team (HARRT) treated 
281 patients.  The HARRT remained open through 1200 hours local time 
on October 14, at which point DoD began preparations to redeploy the 
mobile medical unit on October 16.  The USAID/DART is assisting DoD 
to consign medical supplies from the HARRT to organizations that are 
able to utilize these supplies. 
 
 
Osius#