Plan launches $2.8 million expanded earthquake response program

Plan expands immediate relief efforts to aid thousands affected by recent earthquakes in Sumatra, Indonesia with early recovery and rehabilitation phase.

After initially designating US$1 million to provide assistance to the thousands of people on the island of Sumatra affected by two successive earthquakes last week, Plan is expanding its response program to an estimated US$2.8 million, incorporating planning for early recovery activities to follow on-going immediate relief efforts.

Following last week’s earthquakes in Indonesia, the National Disaster Management Agency has confirmed the deaths of 603 people, with an additional 343 missing, 736 displaced, and over 2,400 injured. The number of casualties is expected to increase as thousands of people are still feared to be trapped under rubble.

Complementing emergency response efforts by the Government of Indonesia, Plan began distributing shelter kits, non-food items and hygiene kits through local partners in the city. To date, relief items have been distributed to 2,500 people in Pariaman city and the villages of Cubadak Air, Cubadak Air Selatan, and Cubadak Air Utara.

The hygiene kits include blankets, soaps, mosquito nets, plastic mats and buckets. The second, 18-month, phase will focus on providing affected children with education, health care, and psychosocial support

Earthquake response program addresses more than immediate needs

The two-year Sumatra quake response program is designed to address the immediate and the longer-term needs of children, their families and communities through a 6-month relief component followed by an 18-month rehabilitation and reconstruction component.

The six-month relief program will focus on addressing the immediate needs of children and their families:

• emergency shelter
• distribution of non-food items
• health
• water, sanitation and hygiene
• child protection (including psychosocial support)
• temporary schools

The 18-month rehabilitation and reconstruction program will address longer-term needs, focusing on education, health, and disaster risk reduction, to help families and communities return to normalcy.