Cablegate: Indonesia Tsunami-Earthquake July 19 Update

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OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #9044/01 2001030
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191030Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7466
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 9746
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON IMMEDIATE 0955
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY IMMEDIATE 3194
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0749
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 0917
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUHPSAA/SOCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 009044

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR CASC EAID PREL SENV SOCI ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA TSUNAMI-EARTHQUAKE JULY 19 UPDATE

Ref: A. Jakarta 9859 (UPDATE)
B. Jakarta 8956 (DISASTER DECLARATION)

JAKARTA 00009044 001.2 OF 002

1. Summary. The GOI has raised its count of victims from the
July 17 earthquake and tsunami to 525 dead, 383 injured and
273 missing. Most observers expect the casualty figures to
continue to rise as more information becomes available. An
estimated 51,000 people have been displaced. The West Java
Governor says the provincial and district government is able
to handle the situation. The GOI has not/not yet declared
it as a national disaster. The three-person Embassy team at
the site reports no known American citizens injured or
killed. Seven foreign citizens were killed, nationals from
Sweden, the Netherlands, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
The Consular section has no open welfare and whereabouts
(w/w) inquiries for people reported traveling in Java. The
USG has made a USD 50,000 contribution to the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in
order to support the Indonesian Red Cross, which has
dispatched relief supplies and deployed volunteers and
medical teams. The UN states that it is able to meet
current disaster needs using existing resources and does not
plan to issue a special appeal. End Summary.

CASUALTIES
----------

2. BAKORNAS PBP (the National Disaster Management and
Refugee Coordination Board) confirmed that casualties from
the July 17 earthquake and tsunami include 525 dead, 383
injured and 273 missing. BAKORNAS PBP additionally
estimates that 51,000 people have been displaced from their
homes.

3. The West Java Governor says the provincial and district
government is able to handle the situation. The GOI has
not/not yet declared it as a national disaster.

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

4. Embassy staff from USAID, Consular and Regional Security
have been at the site since July 18 and found no reports of
injured Americans. The three-person team visited the four
hospitals where quake and tsunami victims are being treated
and found no reports of any Americans seeking treatment. No
unidentified foreign-looking people or foreign citizens are
still hospitalized. About 12-15 European and Australian
citizens were treated for minor injuries and released. A
total of seven foreign citizens were killed; one each from
Sweden, the Netherlands, and Japan and two each from Saudi
Arabia and Pakistan. The Embassy team visited two camps for
persons displaced by the disaster and found no American
citizens there. Police have no reports of any Americans in
the area. Post has only four open w/w inquiries, all for
people traveling in Bali or Lombok. Five other w/w
inquiries have been resolved; none involved travelers in the
earthquake area. The USAID team member will remain at the
site until July 21 to gather additional information. The
remaining team will return to Jakarta July 20 if no
Americans are reported missing or injured.

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

5. President Yodhoyono instructed the West Java Governor and
the Chief of Bakornas (Coordinating Minister for People's
Welfare) to take necessary actions to respond to the
emergency situation in the affected areas. The DistrictQovernment of Ciamis is evacuating communities living in
disaster-prone areas, searching for survivors and victims,
as well as preparing temporary evacaution sites. Displaced
populations are temporarily be sheltered in community halls,
schools and mosques.

6. Volunteers from the Indonesian Red Cross, Indonesian
military personnel and Indonesian police have participated
in search and rescue efforts. The Indonesian military is
mobilizing resources in the affected areas to help
evacuation activities and establish public field kitchens.

JAKARTA 00009044 002.2 OF 002

7. The USG has already made available USD 50,000 to the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC) in order to support the Indonesian Red
Cross. As soon as officially confirmed, Embassy Public
Affairs plans to release a press statement.

8. At the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (UNOCHA) Donor and NGO coordination meeting on July
18, the UN stated that it is able to meet current disaster
needs using existing resources and does not plan to issue a
special appeal.

PASCOE

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