Action by Churches Together (ACT), Churches-based relief group has appealed 2.75 million U.S. dollars to member Churches for rebuilding the lives affected by the recent devastated earthquakes in West Sumatra, Indonesia.
ACT International said this is a preliminary appeal and is issued to request support to proposed responses by ACT members - Church World Service (CWS) Indonesia and YAKKUM (Yayasan Kristen untuk Kesehatan Umum - Christian Foundation for Public Health- Emergency Unit (YEU).
A powerful earthquake 7.9 magnitude on the Richter scale struck West Sumatra on 30 September causing havoc and major damage to Padang City, Pariaman City, Bukittinggi City, Padang Pariaman District, Pesisir Selatan District, Solok City, Padang Panjang City and Pasaman Barat District. A second earthquake 6.8 struck close to the same area on Oct. 1.
As of 12 October, National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) confirmed that 809 people have died; in addition, more than 133,739 houses are severely damaged. According to the Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the magnitude of the 30 September earthquake has been revised from 7.6 Richter Scale (RS) to 7.9 RS.
ACT members of the ACT Indonesia Forum have been in the affected areas conducting assessments and bringing immediate assistance to the population in coordination with one another since day one.
According to ACT, CWS plans to provide assistance to 5,000 families in the Padang Pariaman District. This includes food aid; non-food items (blankets, hygiene kits, baby kits, mosquito nets, plastic mats and household utensils); access to water, hygiene and sanitation facilities and waste management; emergency shelter (tents and tarpaulins) as well as recreational activities for children and “first-aid” psychosocial support (counselling) to women. This will be followed by a ten-month post-crisis recovery programme including water, hygiene and sanitation; transitional shelter; livelihood recovery and Disaster Risk Reduction.
Meanwhile, another member YEU plans to assist 4,684 households in eight villages of Sungai Limau Subdistrict, Padang Pariaman District. Proposed interventions are mobile health services accompanied by the distribution of non-food items to meet the immediate needs of the affected population; and post-crisis recovery assistance in renovation of community health facilities at sub-district level and capacity building in health-based disaster preparedness management, according to ACT.
ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Geneva, Switzerland.
ACT said both CSW and YEU will carry out their projects for the next 12 months and will complete them by 30 October next year.
