IOM Indonesia is playing a key role in the international humanitarian response to the earthquakes which struck West Sumatra on September 30th and October 1st.

This newsletter focuses on IOM activities in West Sumatra following the quakes. IOM’s response has focused on providing logistical support for the government and aid agencies responding to the disaster. It has also provided emergency shelter for survivors, sent in health experts, distributed food and non-food relief items, coordinated support for people displaced by the quake and started to improve access to water and sanitation for affected communities.

IOM’s emergency response capacity in Sumatra dates back to the December 2004 tsunami in Aceh and the 2005 Nias earthquake. In March 2007 it opened an office in Padang, following the Solok earthquake.

IOM’s response to date has been funded by a contribution of EUR 924,000 from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO), together with funding from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Brazil.

The quakes left over 1,100 people dead and damaged some 200,000 homes in and around Padang. Infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and public buildings, together with the local economy, were also seriously affected.

The newsletter can be found at the following link: http://www.iom.or.id/newsletter.jsp?lang=eng