Government Coordination and Response in Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia Earthquake

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Government Coordination and Response in Padang,
Sumatra, Indonesia Earthquake

• Louise K. Comfort, Professor and Director

Center for Disaster Management, Graduate School
of Public and International Affairs, University
of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
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Planning for Disaster Reduction

• Policy Window after 2004 EQ and Tsunami
• Extraordinary losses triggered commitment by
  Indonesian Government to reduce risk
• National agencies introduced program of planning,
  training, exercises in provinces, six cities
• Investment made in infrastructure, equipment for
  monitoring and analysis of seismic risk
• 2007 National Disaster Law No. 24 instituted
• 2008 National Disaster Management Agency
  established

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Padang Earthquake, 9/30/2009

• Tested effectiveness of planning processes
  implemented after 2004
• Clear evidence of improved performance in some
  areas
• Yet, also serious issues that still need
  attention, revision, investment and planning

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Map of Deaths, Injuries in Region
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Ambacang Hotel collapse
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Debris from Ambacang Hotel
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Damage to City Hall
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Governmental Response

• Evidence that training improved response
• Prior training exercise, February 2009
• 9/30/09 Principal responders were in immediate
  contact via radio, according to plan
• Emergency plan activated within 5 minutes EOC
  opened at radio station, then mayors residence
• Residents self-evacuated to higher ground
• Confirmation of no tsunami risk by national BMKG
  within 20 minutes
• Public announcement to return via radio,mosques

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Padang Radio Base Station
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Unexpected response

• Impact of planning for the last disaster
• Significant training in Padang in 2006-2007
• Earthquake, tsunami of September 12, 2007
• Most training programs had focused on tsunami
  risk
• In 2009, Padang residents recognized earth-
  quake, but responded as if it were a tsunami
• Rush of people to evacuate over crowded roads
• Recognized limits of current evacuation plan

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Evacuation Route
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Coordination in Response Operations

• Preparedness exercises had focused on tsunami
  evacuation
• Yet, no provision for families of emergency
  personnel
• Police personnel also evacuated
• Massive traffic congestion with no control
• Fire department operated without traffic support

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Heavy demand on Fire Department

• Padang Fire Department leads Emergency Operating
  Center for Padang
• 1 station, 36 personnel, 9 engines for city of
  900,000
• Damage to garage, trucks
• Heavy search and rescue performed by fire
  personnel, with Red Cross assistance
• 36 fires broke out in different areas of city
• Roads blocked by debris, no traffic support

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Roof collapse on fire truck
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Medical services and response

• Collapse of M. Djamil Public Hospital
• Collapse of Public Health Department
• Patients treated in tents, assembled quickly
• Damage, dust, temporary shelters worsened health
  conditions for vulnerable groups
• International medical teams provided needed
  assistance, JICA, USAID portable hospitals

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JICA Medical hospital, Pariaman
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Public Health Department in Tents
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International Assistance

• Rapid response from international community
• Coordinated by Ministry of Foreign Affairs/ UN
  OCHA
• 21 Search and Rescue teams arrived
• Most teams arrived too late to assist in live
  rescue
• Australian team arrived within six hours
• Medical teams from Japan Korea
• Field hospitals from Japan, U.S.
• Over 120 INGOs offered assistance lack of local
  knowledge, contacts hindered effective response

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Recovery Process

• Mayor Shift to recovery within one week
• Goal engage community in own recovery
• Priority focus on reopening of schools
• Parents unite around welfare of children
• Return to school classes held in tents
• Appeal to international community for
  reconstruction funds

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Return to school, October 10, 2009
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Lessons learned

• Building a common knowledge base is fundamental
  to disaster risk reduction
• Integration of technologies into monitoring and
  response is key to rapid response
• Planning matters.and contributes significantly
  to disaster risk reduction
• Planning is an on-going process