Earthquake in Indonesia
May 27th Quake & Other Seismic/Volcanic Activity
Disaster Overview
On Saturday, May 27, 2006, at 5:54 a.m., local time, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near the city of Yogyakarta on the Indonesian island of Java. According to the latest reports, around 6,000 people lost their lives, about 50,000 were injured, and more than 200,000 were displaced.
No tsunami was generated. The earthquake has been followed by hundreds of aftershocks and, the affected area is near the Mount Merapi volcano, which has been on heightened alert for the past month. It is possible that the seismic activity could trigger additional volcanic activity.
According to reports from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation) between 60 and 80 percent of the buildings in the affected area were damaged; this includes government buildings, schools, hospitals and railway stations.
The Federation has launched a major response to the disaster to which the American Red Cross is providing staff and financial support. The Federation and approximately 20 national Red Cross or Red Crescent societies are providing assistance to the Indonesian Red Cross, which is distributing critical supplies, such as tents, water and hygiene kits, and providing psychosocial support, basic medical assistance and other relief services.
Response of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement
American Red Cross
Immediately after the earthquake struck, the American Red Cross began its relief efforts. The American Red Cross was well-positioned to respond since it has approximately 75 staff members working in Indonesia as part of the long-term recovery efforts following the tsunami.
As of May 31, the organization had provided US $219,000 to support the Indonesian national society’s rapid response.
What is an Emergency Response Unit?
An Emergency Relief Unit (ERU) is a disaster management tool made up of trained personnel and pre-packaged technical equipment that is crucial in responding to sudden, large-scale disasters and emergencies in remote locations.
Currently there are six specialized types of ERUs: relief, logistics, basic health care, water and sanitation, referral hospital, and telecommunications. All ERUs share the ability to respond quickly and to sustain operations for up to one month without drawing on the local resources of a disaster-affected area. |
On May 29, the American Red Cross with the Spanish Red Cross jointly deployed an Emergency Relief Unit (ERU) to Indonesia where it will conduct relief beneficiary assessments and distributions with Indonesian Red Cross volunteers.
An American Red Cross delegate, based in Jakarta, has been participating in the Movement’s coordination meetings and, on May 28, he participated in aerial and ground disaster assessments in cooperation with the Federation and the national society.
Additionally, the American Red Cross sent a psychosocial support team, currently based in Aceh, Indonesia, to help survivors cope with the emotional trauma of the situation.
The American Red Cross remains in close communication with the Federation, Indonesia Red Cross society and other national societies to monitor and respond to this rapidly changing situation.
In the coming days, weeks and months, the American Red Cross may provide additional assistance including financial support, supplies or family tracing resources. These activities will be based on the emerging needs of survivors and will be made in coordination with its Movement partners.
The Indonesian Red Cross Society/Palang Merah Indonesia
Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI), a strong national society, immediately mobilized more than 400 volunteers, and more volunteers have now joined the response and are distributing ready-to-eat food, mineral water, tents, tarpaulins, and baby care kits to those affected. The PMI national headquarters is in close contact with the affected chapters to monitor and assess the situation. As of May 29, the PMI had set up 40 health posts that have provided care for thousands of patients.
When the earthquake occurred, substantial PMI staff and volunteers were already in the area assisting those displaced by Mount Merapi’s recent volcanic activity, which the national society has been monitoring for several weeks. Many of the resources that the national society readied to respond to the volcanic activity are being utilized to respond to this earthquake.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The Federation continues to coordinate the humanitarian assistance being provided by Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies, including the deployment of personnel, specialized ERU’s and materials.
In addition, the Federation has helped to set up a field hospital in Bantul that was originally used during the emergency response to the December 2004 tsunami. The hospital provides intensive care and maternity services and will help to relieve pressure on nearby hospitals, which have been overwhelmed with patients.
Over the past 18 months, Movement partners have been working together to support PMI’s tsunami recovery activities, which has enhanced PMI’s capacity to respond to the earthquake.
The Movement has a strong presence in the affected region and is coordinating its response activities with the affected national society and relevant agencies.
A Coordinated Effort
The American Red Cross role in responding to an international disaster is different from its response to a disaster in the United States. It works in a coordinated manner with many global partners, taking into consideration how the organization can provide unique, specialized assistance in the areas where it can best help.
The American Red Cross works alongside the other Red Cross societies from around the world. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation) helps coordinate the response efforts of the various societies to minimize a duplication of efforts and ensure coverage of relief needs.
Finding Missing Loved Ones
Inquiries concerning U.S. citizens should be referred to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225. Please remember that this phone number is frequently busy during the first days of a large disaster.
For inquiries regarding non-U.S. citizens in disaster-affected areas (International Disaster Welfare Inquiries (IDWIs), the American Red Cross in cooperation with the Indonesian Red Cross Society, Panang Merah Indonesia (PMI), is accepting inquiries for immediate family members ONLY (parents, siblings, children, spouses, fiancé/fiancées, grandparents or legal guardians) for missing loved ones who:
- Reside permanently in the affected areas,
- Are NOT U.S. citizens, and
- Were in regular contact with their relatives in the U.S. before the disaster occurred.
Inquirers should contact their local American Red Cross chapter for assistance.
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For inquiries regarding U.S. citizen abroad, call Office of Overseas Citizens Services
at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225 |
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Find and contact your local American Red Cross chapter |
How to Support the Relief Efforts
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Donate to the International Response Fund |
You can help those affected by countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. Making a financial contribution is the best way to help. To make a donation: |
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Call 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) |
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Make at secure, online donation at www.redcross.org |
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Contact your local American Red Cross chapter |
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Mail a Donation to:
American Red Cross
P.O. Box 37243
Washington, D.C. 20013
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The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate a donation for a specific disaster please do so at the time of donation.
NOTE: The Red Cross has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for its effective use of donations. |
About Offers to Volunteer
While the American Red Cross deeply appreciates the compassion and generosity of those who offer to volunteer internationally, the organization maintains a specially-trained team of relief workers experienced with responding to international disasters of this nature.
The American Red Cross does not anticipate a need for additional international volunteers at this time.
The Red Cross is a volunteer led and driven organization that responds to domestic disasters - big and small - on a daily basis. Red Cross volunteers help their neighbors recover from the so-called "silent disasters" such as house fires that don't make headlines even though they can be as devastating to the victims as large scale disasters. Red Cross volunteers also may register with their local chapters for deployment to help with relief efforts in response to large-scale (regional or national) disasters such as hurricanes.
To get involved and learn more about becoming a domestic volunteer, contact your local chapter. |
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Find your local American Red Cross Chapter |
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Or, visit VolunteerMatch.org to search for Red Cross volunteer opportunities in your area |
About Donations of Goods or Collected Items
Please remember that the American Red Cross is not able to accept small, individual donations or collections of items for emergency relief supplies. The decision to transport bulk donations from the U.S. is based solely on the needs identified by the relief operation and the availability of local resources.
If you represent a company wishing to offer supplies in bulk, and are able provide shipping and transportation for your donation, please contact your local Red Cross chapter to further discuss whether your donation matches the need of the relief operation.
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Read more About Collections of Goods and Individual Items |
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Find your local American Red Cross Chapter |
Inquiries
Media Inquiries
Please visit the American Red Cross Press Room on Redcross.org for the latest press releases, media advisories or statements, links to available news photos, video and public service announcements. |
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Visit the Press Room on Redcross.org |
NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL Medial Requests ONLY: |
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Call Disaster Public Affairs at 202-303-5551 |
LOCAL Media: Please contact the American Red Cross Chapter nearest you.
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Find the local American Red Cross Chapter |
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Public Inquiries (or Comments)
Non-media, public requests including private citizens, businesses or students: |
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Visit the Contact Us page. |
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!["The next few days are critical," said Ricardo Caivano, American Red Cross senior country representative in Indonesia, after participating in a ground and aerial damage assessment of the devastation left behind after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the city of Yogyakarta on May 27. "Red Cross volunteers are working around the clock to get aid into the hardest-hit areas as quickly as possible." [Photo ID: 35944-004]](../../../images/portal/portal_indoquake.jpg)
