Health, water, sanitation, education and protection are main priorities
JAKARTA, INDONESIA, 2 October 2009 – UNICEF emergency personnel are on the ground in the Indonesian province of West Sumatra to ensure that the urgent needs of children are met in the aftermath of Wednesday’s earthquake – up to one-third of those affected are believed to be children.
“Every one of those children is acutely vulnerable to potential disease, lack of shelter, disruption to education, and the traumatic effects of living through such an experience,” said UNICEF Country Representative in Indonesia, Angela Kearney.
UNICEF is working with the Indonesian government and other UN agencies to provide assistance for up to 50,000 families – including making available water pumps, water storage equipment, 40,000 jerry cans and 40,000 hygiene kits, the provision of protective services and safe places for children, supplying 250 school tents, schools-in-a-box, and recreational kits which help children re-establish a sense of normalcy. These initial supplies are expected to reach the quake zone in the next 24 hours.
“Children are always the most affected by emergencies, and it is critical that they have access to clean water, and are protected from the threat of diarrhoeal diseases, acute respiratory infections and outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, polio and tetanus,” said Ms. Kearney. “At the same time, we must ensure that other services such as education are re-started as soon as possible, to help children regain a sense of normalcy in the aftermath of this tragedy.”
According to initial government estimates, Wednesday’s earthquake, which measured 7.6 on the Richter-scale, left nearly 500 people dead and forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes in the coastal provincial capital of Padang and surrounding highlands. Access to the affected area is limited due to the availability of only a single airstrip.
UNICEF has been present in Indonesia almost continuously since 1948. In cooperation with the government and local non-government organizations, UNICEF has assisted children with the difficult challenge of adjusting to a radically altered life after emergencies. This includes the world’s biggest humanitarian assistance for the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed more than 130,000 people in Indonesia’s Aceh, the northernmost tip of Sumatra island.
For more information, please contact:
Edward Carwardine, UNICEF Indonesia,
Tel + 62 812 123 7252;
E-mail: ecarwardine@unicef.org
Geoff Keele, UNICEF East Asia Pacific,
Tel + 66 2 356 9407;
E-mail: gkeele@unicef.org
Patrick McCormick, UNICEF New York,
Tel + 1 212 326 7426;
E-mail: pmccormick@unicef.org
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Tens of thousands of Indonesians forced to flee homes after deadly quake
| © UNICEF/Antara –Maril Gafur |
JAKARTA, 1 October 2009 – UNICEF Indonesia is deploying emergency staff to the province of West Sumatra to assess the immediate health, water, sanitation education and critical protection needs of children who survived yesterday’s deadly earthquake.
According to initial estimates, a 7.6 Richter-scale earthquake killed at least 500 people on 30 September. The death toll is expected to rise sharply. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes in the coastal provincial capital of Padang and surrounding highlands. One third of those affected are estimated to be children.
“The needs of thousands of children are vast and urgent. They must have access to clean water, shelter, and get help in overcoming the aftermath of the earthquake,” said Angela Kearney, UNICEF Country Representative in Indonesia.
“Children who survived the quake are at extreme risk of illnesses, including diarrhoeal diseases, acute respiratory infections and outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, and polio. The risk of tetanus is very high due to injuries and open wounds,”“Children who survived the quake are at extreme risk of illnesses, including diarrhoeal diseases, acute respiratory infections and outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, and polio. The risk of tetanus is very high due to injuries and open wounds,” she said.
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| © UNICEF/Antara – Maril Gafur |
| A woman in Padang salvages her blankets and rice cooker amidst the remains of her house levelled by the earthquake. Photo received on 1 October. |
UNICEF is ready to support the Indonesian government tackle immediate needs such as ensuring the availability of clean water, sanitation facilities and hygiene kits, providing protective services and safe places for children, and by providing emergency early childhood care kits, school tents, school-in-a-box and recreational kits which help get children back to school quickly and build a sense of normalcy.
UNICEF has been present in Indonesia almost continuously since 1948. In cooperation with the government and local non-government organizations, UNICEF has assisted children with the difficult challenge of adjusting to a radically altered life after emergencies. This includes the world’s biggest humanitarian assistance effort for the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed more than 130,000 people in Aceh, Indonesia, the northernmost tip of Sumatra island.
For more information, please contact:
UNICEF Indonesia Lely Djuhari – 
+62 811 802 338
, ldjuhari@unicef.org +62 21 255 88 71
or Geoff Keele UNICEF East Asia Pacific (Bangkok) Phone: 
+66 819060813 gkeele@unicef.org
