Highlights
- Estimated number of dead and injured: 94 people dead, 1 person missing, 128 people severely injured, and 498 with minor injuries
- At least 8 babies died being trapped under the rubble of houses and shops
- Estimated numbers of collapsed buildings are 105 units; heavily damaged mosques: 13 units; damaged houses: 121 units.
- Severely damaged houses and roads have also been reported. Based on reports from multiple government and citizen sources in various sub-districts along the coast, it is estimated that the earthquake has affected all coastal areas of Pidie Jaya district, plus several subdistricts of Samalanga in Bireuen district. We estimate the length of devastation zone about 40 km along the east coast of Aceh, from Bandar Baru sub-district in Pidie to Samalanga sub-district in Bireuen.
- Evacuation efforts have been running slowly as the District Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) in Pidie Jaya does not have sufficient heavy equipment to evacuate victims in all dispersed locations.
- The General Hospital of Pidie Jaya has been severely damaged, and quake victims are being treated in tents outside and referred to nearby hospitals (RSUD dr. Fauziah in Bireuen and RSUD Tgk. CHik di Tiro in Sigli). Hospitals are currently overwhelmed due to a large number of patients and a shortage of medical personnel, medicine and facilities.
- The local authorities have stated there is an urgent need for heavy equipment for rubble clearance and evacuations as well as ambulances, generators, and additional medical personnel.
- An estimated 5000-10,000 people have been displaced and have sought shelter in mosques and homes of neighbours and relatives.
- The fuel supply has also been affected as the main petrol station in Pidie Jaya sustained heavy damage and others chose to turn off their pumps to avoid the risk of fire from leaked underground tanks.
- Markets have been disrupted and only small wooden kiosks are open, as they were not damaged by the earthquake. It is also likely that many livelihoods have been lost and disrupted as many shop-houses were damaged by the quake.
- While some IDPs will likely be willing to return to their homes after a few weeks after aftershocks subsides, the government should take the initiative to conduct a comprehensive structural assessment of all buildings to ensure that they are safe before allowing people to return home.
Situation Overview
A strong earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale struck Aceh province of Indonesia on Wednesday, December 7, 2016, at 05:03:36 A.M. Western Indonesian time (December 6, 2017 at 10:03:36 GMT). Based on information from Indonesian National Meteorology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), the earthquake epicentre was located on land at coordinates 5.19 ° N and 96.38 ° E, at a depth of 10 km, in the district of Pidie Jaya, which situated 106 km south-east of province capital Banda Aceh, or 35.8 Km west of the town of Bireuen, and 51.1 km southeast Sigli. As the quake is categorised as an inland earthquake, BMKG announced that the earthquake would be not trigger a tsunami for Aceh’s coastal area. At the time of reporting, BMKG had counted 11 aftershocks in measuring up to 4.3 on the Richter Scale.
As a result of the earthquake hundreds of buildings have collapsed, particularly offices, mosques and multi storey shops. Many houses and roads have also sustained severe damage and at least one school has been heavily damaged. Based on reports from multiple government and citizen sources in various sub-districts along the coast it is estimated that the earthquake has affected all coastal areas of Pidie Jaya district, plus several subdistricts of Samalanga in Bireuen district. We estimate the length of devastation zone about 40 km along the east coast of Aceh, from Bandar Baru sub-district in Pidie to Samalanga sub-district in Bireuen.
According to the Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBA) at least 105 buildings have been reported to have collapsed so far, while 13 mosques and more than a hundred houses are severely damaged.
The Human Toll
The latest data update from the Department of Health of Pidie Jaya reports a total of 94 dead, 128 severely injured and 489 with minor injuries. According to local witnesses, many people were living above their shops and did not have enough time to get before the buildings collapsed. A high number of the dead are children, including at least eight babies who were trapped under the rubble of houses and shops. These figures remain preliminary as rescue efforts are still underway and data is still being compiled, and we expect the numbers of dead and injured to rise higher since the heavy equipment provided by disaster response agency already start to dig out the ruins and evacuate bodies.
While there are no verified figures of displaced people yet, it is estimated that between 5,000 to 10,000 people have taken shelter in mosques and in homes of relatives of neighbours, either because their homes are damaged or because they are afraid of the aftershocks. Our staff in the field also report that most of the shops and food store are closed, with the exception of small wooden kiosks which open as they were not damaged by the earthquake. People have been drinking river water and there are inadequate shelter, sanitation and cooking facilities for the IDPs.
Humanitarian Response
The earthquake response is under the coordination of the Aceh Provincial Government. The humanitarian response has so far has concentrated on search and rescue of survivors trapped under rubbles and medical treatment for the victims sustaining injury. While the Provincial Government and district authorities have been swift and well-coordinated in their response, evacuation efforts have been hampered as the District Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) in Pidie Jaya lacks sufficient heavy equipment to evacuate in all dispersed locations.
Another key issue has been difficulties in medical treatment, as the only district hospital in Pidie Jaya (RSUD Pidie Jaya) was severely damaged by earthquake, being situated close location to the epicentre. In fact, the hospital’s medical personnel are now operating outside the hospital building in makeshift tents. Earthquake victims are being referred to other hospitals outside the district, including Bireuen district hospital (RSUD dr. Fauziah) and Pidie district hospital (RSUD Tgk. Chik di Tiro) and some cases are being referred to the provincial hospital (RSU dr. Zainal Abidin) in the capital Banda Aceh. However, there are some concerns about the capacity of the district hospital, as in normal daily operations both hospitals experience an overload of cases and often lack of medicines and medical personnel.
According to the Director of the general hospital in Pidie, they receive more than 400 victims mostly suffering broken, bones, skin bruises and sores due to being hit by debris from collapsed buildings.
The Government of Aceh’s (GoA) Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBA) has already arrived at the earthquake location and has conducted a fast response to assist the victims, providing them with: 1 big tent for coordination purpose, 1 big tent for IDPs, 5 tents for families, 20 units of Velbed, 100 packages of foods and 100 packages of supplements. BPBA also delivered earthquake evacuation tools for field personnel to evacuate victims under the rubble.
Disaster Management Agency personnel from other districts have also already arrived to help, and volunteers are already preparing logistical support to the affected area and have set-up a logistics warehouse in Pidie Jaya.
The provincial team consists of doctors and nurses and ambulances from the provincial hospital (RSU dr. Zainal Abidin in Banda Aceh) have also arrived on site to support district medical personnel.
The Geutanyoe Foundation’s emergency team is already assessing the situation on the ground. Based on our assessment and communication with government so far the following are urgently needed for the response:
- Heavy equipment for rubble removal
- Generators and torchlights
- Fuel for ambulances, generators and heavy equipment
- Medicine and paramedical supplies such as gloves and face-masks
- Tents
- Toilets
- Food assistance
- Female sanitary supplies, including sanitary napkins
- Baby supplies including food, toiletries and baby clothesHygiene kits
- Clean water and water purifiers
- Blankets
- Mosquito nets
- Towels and underwear
- Tents and kitchen utensils for communal kitchens
Updated figures on Earthquake Casualties as of 20.30 Western Indonesian Time on 7th December 2016 pm are as follows:
Dead: 94 People
Missing: 1 Person
Severely Injured: 128 People
Minor Injuries: 489 People
For further information, please contact:
Hermanto Hasan
Director of Yayasan Geutanyoë
yayasangeutanyoe@gmail.com
+62 852-6197-6900 (WA)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yayasanGeutanyoë/
Website: http://geutanyoë.org/
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