West Java earthquake destruction worse than earlier thought, aid group warns

Pengalengan, Indonesia, September 4, 2009—The destruction caused by the 7.3 magnitude earthquake in West Java province on September 2 is much worse than earlier thought, according to World Vision's national director in Indonesia, Trihadi Saptoadi. Saptoadi has just returned from Pengalengan, one of the hardest-hit areas in the region.

While the current death toll is relatively small compared to the Jogjakarta quake of 2006 (when 6,000 people died), this quake's physical damages were almost as bad. The Jogjakarta quake only hit two districts, but the West Java disaster has devastated Tasikmalaya, Garut, Banjar, Bandung, West Bandung, Cianjur and Sukabumi districts. It also caused some damages in Bogor and Jakarta and even Cilacap district in Central Java.

“The number of houses and other properties suffering from heavy, moderate and minor damages is actually almost as big as the Jogjakarta quake,” Trihadi said today. “In several villages in Pangalengan sub-district alone, almost all of the houses have collapsed or are heavily damaged.”

Trihadi added that nearly 30 school buildings, or almost 50 percent of all the schools in the Pengalengan sub-district, also suffered from serious damages.

“Right now, there is not enough emergency aid available to meet the growing need,” said Saptoadi. “While the government and local organizations have started providing humanitarian assistance, many victims still have not received adequate food and other necessities.”

Following World Vision's visit to Pengalengan on September 3, the organization said it was very concerned that the lack of clean water and poor sanitation could spark diseases among the displaced families. A team from World Vision is currently conducting an assessment to determine the extent of the need for clean water.

As part of its emergency response to the quake, World Vision has distributed 400 family kits and 200 children's kits in Pengalengan. The kits include items like tarpaulins, blankets, cooking pans, baby oil and soap. Within the week, the organization will distribute an additional 2,600 family kits, 800 children's kits, and 1,000 educational kits. Once the initial distributions are completed, World Vision will distribute another 3,000 family kits to those in need. In addition, plans are underway to distribute emergency relief items to families in Tasikmalaya and open up at least four Child-Friendly Spaces in the area to provide psycho-social support to children.

The public can help by visiting www.worldvision.org or calling 1.888.56.CHILD.

Interviews with World Vision staff can be arranged. For more information, please contact Laura Blank in the U.S. at +1.646.245.2496 or lblank@worldvision.org.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.