UNITED NATIONS TEAM ARRIVES AT INDONESIAN QUAKE SCENE

UNITED NATIONS TEAM ARRIVES AT INDONESIAN QUAKE SCENE

NEW YORK, 9 February (OCHA) -- Following the series of earthquakes that hit Papua province in Indonesia, a team from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) arrived in Nabire on 8 February.  The team is supporting local authorities in assessing damages and needs.

The first earthquake, between 6.8 to 6.9 magnitude, struck on 6 February seven kilometres east of Nabire, PapuaProvince, which is 560 kilometres west of the provincial capital of Jayapura and 3,000 kilometres east of Jakarta.  A new major earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale hit on Saturday 7 February, 73 kilometres south-west of Nabire town.  Aftershocks continued today, one with a magnitude of 6.6 on the Richter scale.

Electricity and telecommunication systems are completely down.  The only means of communication is through radio.  Some buildings, houses, and infrastructure have been damaged.  However, the scale of the damage is still uncertain.  The local airport is also affected and can only be used for light single engine aircraft.

At present, 31 people have been confirmed dead, and the total number of displaced persons is still unknown.

While Indonesia welcomes international assistance, national disaster relief assistance is ongoing in the area.  Temporary shelters have been established, and removal of debris and clean-up operations are now underway.

Priority relief needs include blood for transfusion, small power generators, materials for setting up temporary shelters, non-food items, and water purification systems.

For further information, please call:  Stephanie Bunker, OCHANY, tel.:  917 367 5126, mobile:  917 892 1679; or Elizabeth Byrs, OCHA Geneva, tel.:  1 22 917 2653, mobile:  41(0) 79 472 457

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