Indonesia Help - Earthquake and Tsunami Victims

A major earthquake struck off the west coast of Sumatra , at Nias late Monday, killing hundreds, but no tsunami this time. Hundreds of people [at least 300 on Indonesian] were feared killed in a massive 8.7 magnitude earthquake. Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said between 1,000 and 2,000 people could have been killed in the quake More information: CNN: Quake kills at least 300 on Indonesian island Reuters: Hundreds Feared Dead in Indonesia Quake; No Tsunami

SurfAid is collecting donations for the disaster relief project focused on the island of Nias, in addition to our current projects in the Mentawai Islands. Emphasizing disease prevention and injury/illness treatment. SurfAid's medical team comprising of doctors, nurses, and other medical specialists are mobilized in Nias and are currently providing immediate, direct medical relief, as well as providing an intensive healthcare program in the Mentawais.

Find a research and analysis on the role that blogs have taken during the Tsunami Crisis here: An Analytical World View - Tsunami Crisis - by BlogPulse Quotes: ....The world watched in horror and awe on Dec. 26, 2004 as an earthquake and tsunami devastated wide areas of Southern Asia. As neighboring nations and relief agencies began organizing to help, so did another group of people: bloggers. Unlimited by geography and powered by easy blog-publishing tools, bloggers quickly sprang into action to provide information that was otherwise impossible or extremely difficult to find or disseminate.... Technorati tags: Tsunami , Indonesia , Aceh

The navy ships and chopper support are focusing on Meulaboh but the reality is that there are thousands of people in smaller and more remote communities North and South who have not had any assistance since the quake. This is the urgent need to which The Electric Lamb Mission is working hard to respond, in effective, holistic, capacity-building, culture-sensitive and community-empowering ways. Posted today Until our arrival yesterday, this community had seen no aid at all, save for one insufficient food drop from a helicopter. We immediately brought them two small boats full of food, lamps (with kerosene), clothes, and hygiene supplies. They still have an urgent need for roofing iron, seeds, and more food, and we will continue to supply them in the future. Those that have survived to this point are reasonably healthy, although there is one suspected case of malaria. But there are many flags visible along the beach, marking the gruesome remains of the many victims still not ...

The Electric Lamb Mission: The Bridge of Boats to Aceh is currently loading the Batavia . If you can donate any aid material to be loaded in Jakarta today or Padang before 21st January, please click here for a complete list . If you would like to volunteer, please fill in this form . If you would like to donate money to this Mission, p lease click here for donation information. THANK YOU !

The world is helping Banda Aceh city but the reality is that more people have been killed and displaced on the West Coast of Aceh than in the capital city. A thriving community of 15,000 has been very nearly erased. More than 6,000 are confirmed dead, over 4,000 are missing, 2,000 are living under tarps and and several thousand are camped in the hills terrified to return to ground zero. Food is desperately short, people are drinking river water and disease has depleted the meagre stock of drugs that have been air-dropped to the 20 or so overworked medics and aid workers in the area. The port infrastructure has vanished. The navy ships and chopper support are focusing on Meulaboh but the reality is that there are thousands of people in smaller and more remote communities North and South who have not had any assistance since the quake. Our mission is to build a Sea Bridge to Aceh, to reach the thousands who are homeless, hurt, hungry and traumatized. Original Sea Bridges web...

Economist Intelligence Unit [EIU] has release a report titled "Asia's tsunami: the impact" regarding the impact on the countries that hit by Tsunami. Go here for the press release: EIU Press Relase [12 Jan 2005] The key findings on Indonesia include: Indonesia 's economy will be less affected , with 2005 growth slipping from a forecast 5.7% previously to 5.4% now. The key challenge for Indonesia could be on the political front : dealing swiftly and efficiently with the disaster will be an important test for the new president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono . Some form of debt relief will probably be part of the humanitarian response to the disaster. Indonesia could save as much as US$3.5bn in debt–service in 2005 . The full report is available free of charge and can be downloaded here: "Asia's tsunami: the impact" [PDF]