Aid agencies launch fresh appeal after Indonesian earthquake

|PIC2|On Wednesday, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit western Indonesia and the city of Padang. Officials say 529 people have been killed although the death toll is likely to rise.

The region was jolted by another powerful earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale, caused further damage.

More than 500 buildings including hotels, schools, hospitals and a mall were destroyed or damaged in Padang, where 376 people were death, the remaining are reported from other districts. Thousands of people were believed to be trapped in the rubble.

Indonesia's government announced 10 million US dollar in emergency response aid and medical teams and military planes were being dispatched to set up field hospitals and distribute tents, medicine and food rations.

The multiple disasters have complicated relief efforts as aid agencies continue to help the victims of a tsunami in Samoa, Tonga, American Samoa and several surrounding islands. The Philippines, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia are bearing the brunt of a devastating Tropical Storm Ketsana that has caused unprecedented flooding and killed more than a hundred.

Christian Aid has launched an emergency appeal for victims of the Indonesia earthquake. Its partner agencies in the country have already sent emergency task forces to the affected areas.

Another local partner, YTB (Disaster Response Foundation) will start distributing rice and blankets through its network of member churches.

Christian Aid also works closely in Indonesia with Church World Service, which is expected to start organising airlifts of supplies to the Padang area.

"The first 48 hours after an earthquake are vital," said Robin Greenwood, director of Christian Aid's Asia Programme.

"If you can reach survivors during that time, there is a chance of getting them out alive. After that, their chances decline.

"We are launching the appeal because the scale of devastation is significant and information from our partners already indicates the need for a scaled up response to save lives.

"As well as trying to meet the immediate needs of survivors, our partner agencies will also face the huge task of helping them rebuild their lives."

Catholic Aid agency Caritas said it was assessing the needs of survivors in the worst hit zones in Indonesia following the devastating earthquake off the coast of Western Sumatra.

A local Caritas Emergency Response Team in Padang said the level of destruction was vast, estimating about 50 per cent of buildings had been damaged by the 7.6-magnitude quake.

Fr Agustinus Mudjihartono is helping Caritas in Padang. He says that while the situation in Padang for survivors is critical, the situation 50km north in the town of Pariaman is much worse. Fr Mudjihartono says the entire town, home to around 80,000 people, has been destroyed by the quake.

CARE Indonesia emergency team members have been deployed to the earthquake-stricken city of Padang. CARE is part of a joint assessment team with government departments, other aid organisations and UN agencies assessing the immediate needs of survivors.