Disaster Management Coordination: Day-to-day Lessons from post-earthquake and tsunami emergency in Mentawai (28 October 2010)

Background

On Monday 25th October 2010 at 21:42:20 PM, a 7.2 RS earthquake (depth 78 km) struck off the coast of Mentawai Island of Indonesia, followed by the 5.0 – 6.2 earthquakes afterwards. BMKG had issued a tsunami alert within 5 minutes after the first earthquake occurred and withdrawn around 45 minutes later.

However, a day after, at noon, there was information from Mentawai Island that the earthquake has caused tsunami and hit several islands in Mentawai and caused casualties. Provincial BPBD released their first official report on Tuesday, October 26, 2010, 19.00 which mentioned 86 dead, 109 people missing, 520 households are evacuated and 83 houses are heavily damaged in Mentawai. Tsunami heavily affected several sub districts (Kecamatan), villages (Desa), and sub villages (Dusun). Official report on damage and casualties report as of today (28 October 2010 at 13:45) is available upon request to nova.ratnanto@gmail.com.

Findings

It happens that we are the first group with aid logistics arriving in Sikakap. BPBD has set up command post using Sikakap Sub District Office but had done no coordination meeting with NGOs, community initiatives, journalist, and other stakeholders responding the emergency until today.

On the other hand, I found some local people with whom some NGOs have been working on Disaster Risk Reduction Program. They said that only few villagers in the village were hit by Tsunami. I was taking my breath and said to myself, finally there is DRR program which is working and saving people from disaster. (This is my only opinion since I saw several DRR program failing to save people from disaster after they learn DRR materials). There is already local capacity to reduce disaster risk as some NGOs already work on disaster risk reduction (DRR) in some locations.

Head of BPBD is quite new and just resume the position for 2 months. So does the head of sub districts.

Coordination

Today we had our first coordination meeting that was strongly recommended by UN RC/HC as soon as we arrived on the island. The coordination meeting was led by Head of BPBD and co-chaired by Head of Social Dinas and District Secretary at 14:00 at classroom of MTsN, closed to BPBD Command Post. The minute of meeting (in Bahasa) is available upon request to nova.ratnanto@gmail.com. Attendance list is also available for download here.

 Main points of the meeting was the following:

1. The emergency responder agreed several focal points to be responsible for several things below:
1. Basarnas and Rapi, responsible to lead Search and Rescue
2. District Social Dinas Head, responsible for Logistic, which includes transportation, uploading and downloading of aid logistic.
3. District Health Dinas Head, responsible for Health
4. District Police and/military, responsible for Security of aid logistics
5. External relation of BPBD, responsible for information and assessment gathering and their dissemination
2. Each focal point will coordinate all volunteers and organizations in their respective area of work, make regular meeting and report to general coordination meeting that is scheduled every day at 20:00 at Main Command Post of BPBD.
3. Search and Rescue focal point will organize their first meeting by 16:00 today.
4. Health focal point will organize their first meeting by 19:30
5. NGOs assessing needs of vulnerable will submit information to the command post for further information processing, update, and dissemination.  
6. Today the BUPATI himself will take lead on the coordination meeting.

Humanitarian Response

Central government of Indonesia, through various channels, has delivered logistic aid today. There is still uncertain of what and how many aid logistics being delivered, but most of them are basic needs, including medical supplies. At the same day, national and local non-government organizations on the other hand also deliver their aid logistics today. Whilst national and local capacity in this country is delivering aid assistance and will continue doing in the next few days, international organizations are dong their needs assessment.

Lessons

Leadership in disaster management is crucially important. It will be tested in such situation when every body is panic, losing their lives materials, and do not know what to do.

By Nova Ratnanto