Java earthquake

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An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale struck Yogyarkata Province on Saturday 27th May at 5.53AM local time.

Updated 9/6/06

Although considered a small volcano by world standards, nearby Mt Merapi is still a place of great concern. The Centre for Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation reports increased levels of lava flows and pyroclastic clouds. The alert is still at the highest level. The lava dome suffers up to 80 minor collapses per day and the pyroclastic lava flowed up to 4.5 km from the dome of Mt. Merapi on Wednesday night, approximately half of a kilometer further than previous thought. To date, 6,000 people have been evacuated from villages near Mt. Merapi, not 11,000 as previously reported.
An aftershock measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale hit Klaten (8 June) 11.44 local time. The quake was felt in Yogyakarta, the location of the first quake, over 1900km to the South East.
As of 8 June, medical trauma cases have been dramatically reduced from 12,872 to 261.
In Jetis, the most affected area in Bantul, people are starting to clear debris and recycle materials for further re-construction of homes with the help of neighbour and relatives as part of a cash-for-work initiative.
The aggregate number of houses rendered totally or partially uninhabitable appears to have risen threefold from the original figure of 140,000 to an estimated 470,000.

Updated 8/6/06

Volcanic activity at nearby Mount Merapi is increasing. The Centre of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation has recommended that nearby communities be evacuated to avoid the danger of eruptions. The Merapi activity alert remains at the highest level.
Refugee camps already packed with earthquake survivors, are struggling with evacuees from areas in the probable path of a volcanic eruption arriving every day.

Updated 6/6/06

An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale rocked the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Tuesday 6/6/06. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The tremor struck at 2.56am (0456 AEST) with its epicentre 24km north-east of Manado, a coastal city in northern Sulawesi, at a depth of 16km. Sulawesi is about 1600km North East of Java.
Eruptions at Mount Merapi, adjacent to the earthquake's epicentre, continue with the partial collapse of the lava dome at the summit. Scientists believe that a major eruption is still possible, but cannot predict when it may happen. Merapi is still classified at the highest level of danger.
The Provincial Office is encountering difficulties in the monitoring of psychosocial/mental health interventions by organizations. An unconfirmed number of quake-related suicides have been reported.

Updated 2/6/06

Aftershocks will continue for two more weeks, they have recorded 851.
30% of homeless people have adequate shelter, sanitation is a worsening problem
269 schools, 284 religious buildings have been destroyed.
One of the major concerns for health is the overcrowding of hospitals as treated patients cannot return to their areas of origin and house themselves around the existing healthcare structures.

There are about 9,000 hospitals beds serving 19,000 to 20,000 patients and up to 30,000 outpatients.
Eighteen community health centres and 11 primary health units are damaged in Yogyakarta, and 27 community health centres and 33 primary health units are damaged in Bantul.
Nine out of 12 water treatment plants were not yet working in Bantul as of Tuesday (30 May) morning.
Access to food and cooking facilities is badly affected. Markets are slowly opening, but food prices have already risen 10 to 15 percent in urban areas.
Furthermore, there are reported concerns with a build-up of ash on the nearby volcano. The ash may have been destabilized by recent rain, which could result in ash/mud slides.

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