Cablegate: Indonesia: July 17 Tsunami-Earthquake Update

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 008959

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR CASC EAID PREF SENV SOCI ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA: JULY 17 TSUNAMI-EARTHQUAKE UPDATE

Ref: Jakarta 8956

JAKARTA 00008959 001.2 OF 002

1. Summary. Casualty reports from the July 17
earthquake/tsunami in southern Java are mixed with local TV
station Metro TV reporting 314 dead, Associated Press
reporting 306 dead, and local government authorities noting
141 dead. Most observers expect casualty figures to rise as
more information becomes available. There are no known
Amcits injured or killed. Towns and communities along a 175-
kilometer stretch of the Southern Java coastline have
experienced significant damage to buildings, homes and
fishing boats. An estimated 35,000 people have been
displaced. A three-person team from the Mission is in the
affected area meeting with local and international
organizations. Government of Indonesia and UNESCO sources
report the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned the
Meterological and Geophysical Agency (BMG) approximately 20
minutes before the tsunami hit, but this was insufficient
time for local authorities to organize a meaningful
response. Reftel is a USAID disaster relief message
requesting USD 50,000 in U.S. emergency assistance. End
Summary.

2. The 7.7 earthquake occurred at 3:19 pm local time on July
17. The epicenter of the quake was approximately 224 miles
south of Jakarta and 135 miles northeast of Christmas
Island. The most heavily affected town is Pangandaran in
Ciamis Regency, West Java Province. The Pacific Tsunami
Warning Center in Hawaii reported that the quake had a
magnitude of 7.2 on the Richter scale, while the U.S.
Geological Survey measured the magnitude at 7.7. The quake
generated a tsunami several meters high that crashed into
the coast at approximately 40 kilometers per hour.

3. USGS continues to report numerous aftershocks occurring
in the general area of the epicenter. As of 3 pm on July 18,
six aftershocks have occurred, ranging in magnitude from 5.5
to 6.3 occurred at 22:42, 22:45 and 23:09 on July 17, and
07:15, 11:18 and 12:27 on July 18.

AMERICAN CITIZENS
------------------

4. There are no known Amcits living in or near Pangandaran.
Consular staff contacted the homes of about a dozen
registered American families living in neighboring towns of
Tasikmalaya and Ciamis. In most cases, Amcits were not home
but domestic staff confirmed their well-being. Amcits in
the West Java capital of Bandung, home to many international
schools and Indonesian language schools, report the
earthquake did not affect the city. Post has received no
registrations via its internet based registration system for
Amcits planning to travel to the West Java coast.

5. Embassy staff from USAID, consular, and regional security
sections arrived in Ciamis late afternoon local time July
18. They are visiting hospitals and meeting with local
officials to inquire about foreign victims. An Australian
Embassy officer who arrived in Pangandaran at 8:00 am local
time July 18 told us he has visited many medical facilities
and a makeshift morgue. He reported one morgue has five
victims believed to be foreign. One is a Dutch citizen, one
is reportedly "Arabic," and three are unidentified. Press
reports indicate an unidentified "French woman" as one of
the foreign victims. Australian Embassy personnel spoke
with several Australian hikers and surfers who were caught
by the earthquake and tsunami, but were not injured. One
surfer spent the night floating on his surfboard at sea, but
is now fine.

6. Post has received welfare and whereabouts inquiries for
nine Amcits traveling in Indonesia and resolved two. The
other seven individuals are traveling in Bali, Lombok and
North Sulawesi. One has plane reservations to depart
Indonesia for Vietnam on July 18. We have received no
inquiries about Amcits believed to be traveling anywhere
near the affected area.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE
-------------------

JAKARTA 00008959 002.2 OF 002

7. USAID has prepared a disaster declaration and is
requesting an immediate USD 50,000 to provide relief for the
earthquake affected victims in Southern Java. USAID will
channel funds to the International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in order to support the
Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).

8. The Indonesian Red Cross has already deployed volunteers
to provide search and rescue in the affected areas. The
World Health Organization (WHO) is facilitating the Ministry
of Health's (MOH) operations, and has health kits ready for
distribution. A rapid response team led by the UN Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) is
visiting the affected area on July 18. The team includes
staff from UNOCHA, the UN Development Program (UNDP), the UN
Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and
the WHO. The International Medical Corps (IMC) is also
assessing the situation in West Java. Following the
IFRC/PMI initial assessment, we expect U.S. assistance will
be required to support additional relief efforts including
emergency supplies and transportation in the impacted area.

MILITARY CONTACTS
-----------------

9. The Defense Attache's Office (DAO) has spoken with
Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Headquarters personnel
regarding any request for U.S. military assistance. TNI is
still coordinating their response to the tsunami and has not
indicated to DAO they will be requesting assistance. The
U.S. Pacific Command has been monitoring the situation from
the onset and based on reporting from DAO is not
anticipating to assist in relief efforts at this time.

EARLY WARNING SYSTEM
---------------------

10. UNESCO and BMG sources told us on July 17 that The
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii and the Japanese
Meterological agency were able to issue local tsunami
warnings to Indonesian and UNESCO authorities including the
BMG. The warning was received at 3:38 pm local time
predicting the possibility that a local tsunami might hit
the shores at 4 pm. According to contacts at BMG, the BMG
central office was able to relay information on to its
Cilicap BMG office, which then contacted local police via
radio. However, BMG does not have a local office in West
Java and depends on local authorities for subsequent
notification. In this instance, local authorities had
insufficient time for meaningful reaction.

PASCOE

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