Brief description of the emergency
Flash flood struck Wondama Bay (Wasior), Papua (110 sea miles east of Nabire) at October 4, 2010; resulting in 105 casualties (BNPB data on 11 October), hundreds injured and thousand forced to flee to Manokwari and Nabire. 67 people are still missing.
Impact
The flood had block road ways, making Wondama bay hard to access. We can only reach Wondama bay with helicopters in 1 hour flight or by ship in 8 – 16 hours trip departing Manokwari.
Electricity is cut and health facilities are swept and collapsed. Thousands of buildings including houses, schools and offices were badly damaged and bridges had collapsed, officials said on Monday.
Current Situation
2,513 IDPs have arrived in Manokwari in October 11 and keeps counting because authorities instructed the people to take shelter in a safer place. There were 4 trips a day and one trip can carry up to 450 people.
80% of the buildings, public places, and homes in Wasior were wiped out of the flood and covered in mud.
The displaced people were mostly sheltered in platoon tents in the Korem field in Manokwari and some were taken care of their distant families. Clean water remains the most needed item, since the number of the displaced people keep on increasing.
People in the camp are beginning to get illnesses such as upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and stomachache. There is a threat in increasing case of malaria since the area is an endemic malaria area and the people are sleeping in tents without proper protection from mosquito bites.
Access to Wasior is still difficult, ships are prioritized for search and rescue team and army personnel to help cleaning the mud and debris in the area. More medical personnel are needed in Wasior according to the Disaster Management Agency in Manokwari.
National and international response
The President of Indonesia planned to visit Manokwari and Wasior on 13 October to foresee the disaster management efforts conducted in Wasior.
The Health Department and Indonesia Red Cross had set up medical post in the camp and in Wasior; disinfectant spraying were also done in Wasior to prevent the spread of germs.
YEU response
YEU is focusing the response to the IDPs in Manokwari and had distributed food items for babies, children and expectants. At 11 October, YEU also distributed 220 baby and children hygiene kits (soap, shampoo, telon oil, and tooth brush and tooth paste) and 400 bottles of mosquito repellent.
The response in coordinated with the Health Service of Manokwari and the camp, to cater for the needs of the IDPs in health aspect.
YEU is in coordination with disaster Response Forum in of Manokwari to conduct further assessment in Wasior and also with the HFI forum and ACT Forum Indonesia.