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Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Somalia Earthquake and Tsunami: OCHA Situation Report No. 6

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Date: 29 Dec 2004

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2004/0194
OCHA Situation Report No. 6
Earthquake and Tsunami
Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Somalia

The Secretary-General has appointed Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom, the United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, as his Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Assistance to Tsunami affected communities. Ms. Wahlstrom will visit the affected areas in the coming days. Her main tasks will be to provide leadership and support to the international relief effort.

UN Country Teams in Indonesia, Maldives and Sri Lanka have developed preliminary estimates of requirements which are reflected in the situation report below. A consolidated regional UN Flash Appeal is scheduled to be launched next week.

(The figures quoted in this report are official government figures).

INDONESIA

Situation

The latest information from the Department of Social Affairs mentioned that the quake and tsunami claimed 32,490 lives both in the Province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra. Some 15.000 have been evacuated to a safer area from their residences and are living in tents. According to OCHA field staff in Banda Aceh, all public hospitals were demolished by the disaster. Some areas, particularly on the western coast of Sumatra, require special attention as they are isolated and difficult to reach by land due to severe destruction of roads.

Requirements

Based on the briefing by the Vice President of Indonesia on 29 December, the following items are the priority needs for immediate distribution: instant food and baby food, body bags, water purification equipment, generator sets, medicines, mobile medical clinics, blankets, shrouding cloth, tents, mosquito nets, water buckets, clothes, mattresses, emergency lights, kitchen sets, gloves, and masks. In addition, air transportation (cargo helicopter) is needed to deliver priority items to the victims in these isolated areas.

The UN Country Team has made a list of preliminary estimates (pending completion of assessments) for UN Agency projects in Indonesia amounting to USD 40.1 million.

Sector	Agency	Cost (USD)
Health	WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA/NGOs	5,000,000
Food	WFP	12,000,000
Shelter and non-food items	UNHCR	7,800,000
Water	UNICEF/NGOs	2,000,000
Security	UNSECOORD	300,000
Relocation	IOM	10,000,000
Telecommunication equipment/services		2,000,000
Coordination	OCHA	1,000,000
TOTAL		40,100,000

UN Response

One UNDAC member with the Head of OCHA Indonesia departed from Jakarta to Banda Aceh on 29 December 2004 to conduct an initial needs assessment in Aceh. In order to ensure the reception of relief supplies, efforts are being made to re-establish the OCHA office in Banda Aceh to provide coordination services. OCHA/UNDAC will also be working closely with Bakornas on reception of relief goods in Banda Aceh until a UN Joint Logistics Centre is established. A media centre is being established in order to provide information. UNDP is deploying a recovery expert to support the Office of the Coordinating Minister of People’s Welfare. WFP intends to establish a presence in Banda Aceh along with field offices in Loeksemawe, Sigli and Medan. The IOM office in Aceh is being used as a central emergency post for UN agencies and INGOs.

MALAYSIA

Situation

Confirmed deaths have risen to 65, about 50 persons are reported missing and about 100 are hospitalised. About 8,000 persons are homeless and being given temporary accommodation in schools.

National Response

The national and state governments are providing immediate financial and material (food, clothing, etc) help for those affected by the disaster. This is being well coordinated with multi-agency government support, as well as through volunteers. Malaysia sent a group of 20 persons from its Fire and Rescue Department to help in the operations in Aceh, Indonesia.

UN Response

A two-person mission from the Malaysian UN Country Team (from UNDP and UNICEF) has visited the affected areas in Penang and Kedah. The UNCT mission was well appreciated but direct emergency support was not considered necessary by the Deputy Prime Minister, National Coordinator for Disaster Relief in Malaysia as well as the Director General of the Ministry of Health.

MALDIVES

Situation

According to the Government, some two thirds of the population are affected, with 100,000 severely affected. 54 people have been confirmed dead and the figure is expected to rise as 61 people are missing. 11,216 people have been reported displaced. There is preliminary data on damage and needs about all of the 200 inhabited islands, but this will have to be substantiated during planned field visits

Requirements

The UN Country Team has made a list of preliminary estimates (pending completion of assessments) for UN Agency projects in Maldives amounting to USD 19,125,000.

UN Response

Current information indicates that USD 400,000 in cash contributions has been made available through various UN agencies (UNICEF: USD100,000; OCHA: USD 50,000; UN Crisis Centre: USD 100,000, UNDP: USD 100,000, UNFPA: USD 50,000). WHO has made available health kits valued at USD 150,000. WFP provided water containers and other supplies (valued at USD 500,000).

SRI LANKA

Situation

The latest Government figures indicate:

• 22,493 people killed, 483,991 displaced persons, 8,602 injured, and 4,028 missing.
• Damaged houses 33,600 (from 3 assessed districts out of 9: Ampara, Galle, Matara)
• Affected families: 98,231

The Ministry of Health (MoH)identifies the following as top priority for response: safe drinking water, proper sanitation, shelter, clothing, transport vehicle and drugs and medical supplies. The MoH has compiled and distributed a list of drugs required. MoH has also requested the international community to help them by providing transport vehicles for close monitoring of the emergency situation.

Import procedures for relief commodities to Sri Lanka have been drawn up and can be made available upon request. These procedures cover bilateral donations as well as donations by/through the UN.

The UN Country Team has made a list of preliminary estimates (pending completion of assessments) for UN Agency requirements in Sri Lanka amounting to USD 68,245,806.

UN Response

UNDAC team together with UNDP office are continuing efforts to coordinate emergency assessments. UNDAC team member also conducted a reconnaissance by helicopter. A Reception Centre at Colombo airport is up and running, in spite of many administrative and logistical difficulties. Two UNJLC professionals arrived on 29 December. UNHCR logistically supports various emergency teams in areas where they have offices. UNHCR has identified Non Food Relief Items for distribution to a total value of USD 380,000. This includes 23,500 plastic sheets, 24,500 plastic mats, 5,000 sarees, 5,000 sarongs, 10,000 towels, 3,600 t-shirts, 20,000 plastic plates and cups. UNFPA is providing 25,000 personal hygiene packs for a total amount of USD 160,000.

SOMALIA

Situation

The maximum impact from the Tsunami was on the tip of the Horn, i.e. north east of Puntland. Especially badly hit is the small low lying island/peninsula, Ras Xaafuun, which was apparently completely swept over by the wave and where up to 85 per cent of the infrastructure is reportedly damaged. Initial update on the situation was provided by local authorities and field staff in Puntland where it is estimated that around 110 people have lost their lives and 22 fishing boats have been confirmed to be missing. Coastal communities and areas between Hafun, Garaad are devastated and some localities are totally submerged. In addition to loss of lives, there is great devastation to livelihoods in the affected areas.

Needs and Requirements

The most urgent needs include:

• Food
• Water
• Medicine
• Shelter
• Cooking utensils
• Clothes

OCHA Somalia and UNICEF are planning an inter-agency assessment that should proceed to Bosasso with a view to accessing the affected areas along the coast. Humanitarian partners were meeting on 29 December in Nairobi to pool information and coordinate the response for Somalia. WFP, UNICEF and WHO have started to dispatch relief items from Bosasso to Garowe.

PLEDGES - CONTRIBUTIONS

OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for unearmarked cash contributions to be used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination with relevant organizations in the United Nations system. For banking details, please contact the desk officers indicated below. OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.

Updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available electronically in the above-mentioned Financial Tracking Website. A hard copy of the latest contributions reported to OCHA will be attached to the OCHA situation report no.7.

Together with further information on other ongoing emergencies, this situation report is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

The map of the region hit can be found at ReliefWeb Map centre - South Asia: Earthquake and Tsunami - Situation map #2

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:
Mr. Erik Haegglund/Mr. Soichi Nakajima
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 32 99/ 4034

Mr. Rudi Müller/Ms. Caroline Péguet
Direct Tel. 41-22-917 3131 / 1836

Press contact:
(GVA) Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo direct Tel. +41-22-917 31 60
(N.Y.) Mr. Brian Grogan, direct Tel. +1-212-963 11 43