UNDP supports Government’s very early recovery efforts for Sumatra earthquakes

Jakarta, 15 October 2009 – While the humanitarian response is full on, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working closely with the Government of Indonesia to initiate recovery efforts for earthquake-affected areas of Sumatra. This very early recovery support aims at getting things back to normal in ways that will prevent such a disaster from happening again. 

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake that rattled West Sumatra on 30 September was one of three in West Sumatra and Jambi that has taken many lives and caused severe economic and development setbacks for the region. The latest data from National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) recorded over 1100 casualties and many others injured. The earthquake has also caused the displacement of thousands of families while bringing local governments functions to a standstill by destroying 80-90% of government offices and basic service delivery facilities.

UNDP deployed a team from Banda Aceh to support the clearance of dangerous partially collapsed buildings and remove toxic debris like asbestos that block or endanger emergency access. Since the disaster occurred in urban areas, a significant number of buildings have collapsed leaving a huge amount of rubble that hinders the evacuation of residents and provision of relief assistance. UNDP has been endorsed by the Government to support the coordination of all rubble clearing efforts.

Since so many local government facilities were damaged, vital records and documents (like land ownership certificates), furniture and equipment were destroyed making it extremely difficult for local government agencies to swing back into operation. UNDP started by providing support to the local Provincial Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) to restore the basic functions of the local government. The assistance includes temporary working facilities and equipment for provincial Bappeda and technical assistance to increase its capacity in managing the early recovery activities. UNDP is also embedded inside temporary offices of Bappeda to support re-establishment of its capacity and functioning.

“Having learned from Aceh and Yogyakarta, these very early recovery efforts are extremely important to ensure that people can get back on their feet and communities are restored immediately,” said Mr. Håkan Björkman, UNDP Country Director. “Good humanitarian response plans include early recovery assistance that begins while emergency relief is still underway but focused on getting things back to normal.”

The early recovery component of the Humanitarian Response Plan, launched by the UN and humanitarian community in coordination with the Government, will also help restore damaged water supply pipes so temporary water can get to critical facilities like health clinics, key government agencies or schools that are still operating and help families who are already starting to rebuild do it in a way that their home will not collapse again in the next earthquake. It will also support other spontaneous recovery initiatives in affected communities like rebuilding livelihoods, markets and generally re-establishing local government’s ability to manage the longer-term recovery whose needs will be assessed and planned in coming weeks.

In Jakarta, UNDP staff seconded to BNPB and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) are also providing support to do GIS and demography baseline data analysis of the impact of the earthquake and very soon will support the assessment of recovery needs planned by the government.

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