Indonesia Update: Humanitarian Situation in November 2013

Highlights
During the month, hidrometeorological disasters continue to happen. From 1-20 November, BNPB tentative figures reported 16 casualties and at least 2,288 families are temporarily displaced for one day or two following 19 floods, 20 landslides, and 51 whirlwind events across 16 provinces: Banten, Bengkulu, Central Java, East Java, Jakarta, Jambi, Lampung, North Sumatra,Riau Islands, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, West Java, West Nusa Tenggara, West Papua, West Sumatra and Yogyakarta.

Whirlwind alone caused four casualties, temporary displacement to 38 persons or 10 families, and savere damages to  143 houses, medium damages to 169 houses and light damages to 1,279 houses. These whirlwind occurs in 11 provinces: Banten, Central Java, East Java, Jakarta, Lampung, Riau Islands, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, West Java, West Nusa Tenggara and Yogyakarta.

Landslides caused six casualties and severe damages to five houses, medium damages to 14 houses and light damages to 12 houses across four provinces: Jambi, West Java, North Sumatra and West Sumatra.

Floods caused six casualties, temporarily displaced approximately over 8,800 persons or 2,200 families, severe damages to 10 houses and light damages to 2,562 houses across eight provinces: Banten, Bengkulu, Jakarta, Jambi, Lampung, Riau Islands, West Papua and Yogyakarta.
BMKG, the Meteorological m Climatology and Geophysics Agency,  reported 12 earthquakes with magnitude 5.0 Richter Scale or above across six provinces: Banda Aceh, Southwest Maluku, North Sulawesi, Papua, West Java, South Sulawesi and North Maluku. The biggest earthquake occurred with magnitude 6.2 Richter Scale on 19 November 2013. No casualties or damages were caused by these earthquakes.

PVMBG, the Center of Volcanology and Mitigation of Geological Disaster, increased status of Mt. Sinabung to alert level 3 by 3 November 2013 following its increasing volcanic activity. The mount has since erupted for several times. During the month, PVMBG recorded 20 small eruptions of Mt. Sinabung during the month with 46 small eruptions since September 2013. These small eruptions spewing smoke ashes has caused displacement of at least eight villages (of four sub districts) prompting the government to extend the emergency state starting on 3 November to 23 November 2013.  As of 18 November, the Incident Command Post recorded 6,164 persons or 1,904 families (approximately 2,770 male and 2,988 females) are displaced over 16 displacement centres. Out of 6,164 IDPs, there are 28 pregnant ladies and around 1,515 students (867 elementary, 389 junior high and 259 senior high). The BNPB, BPBD of North Sumatra, PMI, Muhammadiyah, Dompet Dhuafa and a number of private sector and civil society have responded to this emergency in meeting the needs of IDPs.

On 18 November by 04.50-06.00, Mt. Merapi erupted spewing volcanic smoke and ashes up to 2,000 meter in the sky. Currently the PVMBG retains its status at alert level 1.  The volcanic ashes fell upon Kartosuro and western part of Solo City. The local BPBD reported that approximately 600 families from Glagaharjo Village were already evacuated. Around 15 babies, 26 older people, eight pregnant women and one person with different ability were among them who evacuated on 18 November. They are now already return to their houses as the eruption stopped and situation already back to normal.  The PMI also deployed its assessment team while distributing 20,000 masks in Boyolali District.

The PVMBG also reported five volcanos with alert level 3: Mt. Sinabung (in North Sumatra), Mt. Karangetang (in North Sulawesi), Mt. Ibu (in North Sulawesi), Mt. Rokatenda (in East Nusa Tenggara) and Mt. Lokon (in North Sulawesi). 

Sources : BNPB, BMKG, PVMBG, Incident Command, BPBD
-Nova Ratnanto