Indian Ocean Disaster

27 December 2004

Background to the Indian Ocean Disaster

On the morning of Sunday 26 December a severe earthquake in the ocean off the coast of northern Sumatra caused tsunamis (tidal waves) that devastated communities in neighbouring countries and other countries in the Indian Ocean. The earthquake measured 9.0 on the Richter Scale, the world's most severe in 40 years.

The tsunamis resulted in a disaster of extraordinary proportions. The death toll is now put at more than 225,000 (United Nations and media estimates). The casualty list continues to grow and it is acknowledged than an exact death toll will never be known. The UN estimates that the tsunamis displaced one million people and deprived five million of basic services.

For more background see Tsunami Edition of Focus Magazine

N.E. Indian Ocean Tsunami/Earthquake Disaster Area map

Australia's response

At a news conference in Sydney on 27 December, the Prime Minister said: 'I express on behalf of all of the Australian people my deepest sympathy and great profound condolences to the people and the governments of so many countries in our region. The Australian people feel the greatest sympathy for our friends in the region. We'll do everything we can as a regional neighbour and regional friend to assist the countries that have been so badly affected.'

While the magnitude of the disaster was still unfolding, the relief effort began immediately in Canberra and posts in countries in affected areas.

In the first 36 hours following the disaster:

an emergency task force of senior officials was established in Canberra at 6 pm on Sunday 26 December to coordinate Australia's response
the AusAssist Plan, a standing AusAID disaster response plan, was activated on 27 December 2004
essential supplies from the AusAID emergency store were sent to Indonesia on four RAAF C-130 Hercules, departing on 27-29 December
the flights also took two AusAID funded medical teams to conduct health assessments and provide primary treatment
AusAID funded the immediate deployment of four participants in United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams to Thailand and Indonesia
AusAID staff from posts in affected countries were dispatched to disaster areas to assess the impact of the tsunami
additional staff from Canberra were sent to Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka to support post.

Tsunami Summit

The Prime Minister and Mr Downer attended the ASEAN Tsunami Disaster Summit in Jakarta on 5 and 6 January.

Key outcomes of the Tsunami Summit included:

Agreement to urgently mobilise further, additional resources to meet the emergency relief needs of victims in the affected areas
Agreement to establish a regional early warning system such as a Regional Tsunami Early Warning Centre in the Indian Ocean and the Southeast Asia region.

In addition, the Australian Government has agreed to join other creditor countries in offering an immediate postponement of scheduled debt repayments for the governments of tsunami-affected countries following a meeting of the Paris Club on 12 January.

Indonesia

(Click image to view before and after tsunami)

Images of Banda Aceh on 24 June 2004 and 28 December 2004
(satellite photos from www.globexplorer.com)

The Governments Australia and Indonesia have agreed to form an Australian-Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development committing $1 billion over five years. While there is a clear focus on areas devastated by the tsunami, all areas of Indonesia will be eligible for assistance under the partnership. This is in addition to the $33m that Australia has already committed toward the relief effort including $18m for key UN agencies (UNICEF, WHO, WFP and IOM) as well as funding through Australian, international and local NGOs.

To the end of January, an estimated 1036 tonnes of emergency humanitarian
aid had been provided to tsunami victims in Aceh and North Sumatra provinces,
including food, water, medical supplies and shelter equipment, principally with
the assistance of the Australian Defence Forces and UN Joint Operations Centre
partners, as well as through small aircraft and boat charters.

The focus for Australia's relief effort has been on health and water and
sanitation with most assistance going to Banda Aceh as well as some small-scale
support for the North West coast including the outlying islands of Nias, Batu,
Banyak and Simeulue.

Relief

Australian Tsunami assistance to Indonesia for the relief phase has included:

Coordination and transportation

deployment of 15 AusAID staff/personnel to Banda Aceh, Padang, and Medan to
help coordinate the relief effort
coordination and transportation of critically important relief supplies to
affected communities, including the services of one 707 aircraft, four C-130
Hercules aircraft, one Il-76 aircraft and two Antonov aircraft with air crews
services of the HMAS Kanimbla including 250 sailors, 150 engineers, two Sea
King Helicopters, two Landing Craft and other equipment to assist in the relief
effort and
delivery of telecommunications equipment and technicians.

Disaster management and logistics

funding for eight logisticians and seven engineers from Red R deployed with WFP,
UNJLC and UNHCR
funding for three Australian disaster specialists deployed with the United
Nations Disaster Assessment Coordination team
funding for an AusAID/Emergency Management Australia - UN liaison officer
to support the establishment of information and donor relations
systems.

Health

provision of a 90-bed Australian Defence Force Field Hospital located in
Banda Aceh
funding for five teams of up to 27 Australian doctors and medical staff to
provide urgent medical assistance. The first four teams were located at the
Fakinah Hospital in Banda Aceh, and the fifth team was at the Zainoel Abidin
Provincial Hospital
provision of essential equipment and medical supplies for the Fakinah
Hospital and the Jiwa Mental Hospital in Banda Aceh
funding for a health assessment team in Banda Aceh, including specialists
in health sector coordination, psycho-social support, child protection,
infectious diseases, and pharmaceuticals and medical supplies
emergency provision of tetanus toxoid vaccines and tetanus immunoglobulin
to treat and prevent disease
provision of medical supplies for RS Pirngandi Hospital in Medan to assist
Tsunami victims airlifted from Banda Aceh
provision of a team member to the WHO-led health sector
assessment.

Water supply and sanitation

provision of water purification plants to Banda Aceh - the ADF have
produced and distributed over three million litres of water to date
sourcing and delivering 129,000 20 litre water containers to Banda
Aceh
assistance to clear debris and drainage at the Zainoel Abidin Hospital in Banda Aceh and to re-build public infrastructure through the ADF Engineering
Group
funding for a water and sanitation specialist to undertake an assessment
and provide support for the provincial administration in addressing the
immediate water supply and sanitation needs in Aceh.

Food and non food items

financial support to the WFP for emergency food, water supplies and
logistics in support of the humanitarian relief operation and the establishment
of the UN Joint Logistics Centre.

Assistance to the West Coast

in conjunction with WFP, TNT Express and CARE Australia, purchasing and
transporting food, water and medical supplies from Medan to Singkil on donated
TNT Express trucks, for distribution by boat to the outlying islands of
Simeulue and Banyak
chartering of two vessels to deliver urgent food, shelter equipment and
medical supplies to Calang, Simeulue and Banyak
funding for Surf Aid International to charter a vessel to
deliver food, water, shelter equipment and medical personnel to Batu and Nias
Islands
chartering of two light planes to carry medical supplies (including
medicine for the prevention and treatment of malaria) and rice to
Sibolga
in-principle funding for Surf Aid International to provide longer term
medical aid and malaria prevention assistance to Nias island and coordinate
other NGO activities along the West coast
Funding for CARE Australia to implement a longer term program of support to
address water and sanitation issues in Simuelue and Banyak islands.

Education

Funds from Australia's $3m emergency response contribution to UNICEF
are providing a 'school-in-a box' program targeting primary level
schools, both state and Islamic.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation phase activities include:

Education and Child Protection

through the AusAID funded Learning Assistance Program for Islamic Schools
(LAPIS) -provide basic supplies and procurement for madrasah at the junior
secondary level and the University. Education initiatives through the LAPIS
Emergency Support Unit in Banda Aceh will total $2 million.

Livelihoods

deployment of a livelihoods specialist to provide advice on options for
engagement in the livelihoods sector, including monitoring policy developments,
immediate and longer term needs of displaced people in Aceh and map the
engagement of UN, civil society and government agencies.

Governance

provision of strategic planning and communications expertise, including
translator services, to assist the State Ministry of National Planning
(BAPPENAS) to prepare Indonesia's rehabilitation and reconstruction
strategy.
engagement of a governance adviser to undertake an overall assessment of
the damage to government structures across the province, with particular
emphasis on the impact of the disaster on human resources.

Health, Water & Sanitation

completion of a joint rapid assessment with the Indonesian and German
governments to determine the reconstruction needs of the Zainoel Abidin
Provincial Hospital in Banda Aceh.
support for a combined Australian/Indonesian medical team of up to 30
personnel for up to three months at the Zainoel Abidin Provincial Hospital in Banda
Aceh. This team will eventually replace the ADF capacity operating at the
hospital.
support for re-establishing a procurement and medical supply distribution
network in Banda Aceh by provision of vital infrastructure and human resources,
including leasing a house as a temporary warehouse
support for the restoration of government mental health services by
engaging a psychosocial trauma support specialist to undertake an assessment of
the mental hospital and mental health needs more broadly in Banda Aceh
including provision of essential medications. In addition, a team of 14
Indonesian psycho-social and mental health specialists (from Bali) have been
deployed to work in the mental hospital to support staff to provide clinical
services
support for the restoration of government maternal health services by
engaging a maternal health specialist to conduct a rapid assessment of maternal
health needs, focusing on midwife capacity in Aceh province
support for a community health service facilitator to assist national and
provincial health departments and Indonesian professional associations to
gather and assess data on community health workforce levels and
capacity
support for government engagement in infectious disease surveillance and
controlprocurement by placing an infectious disease specialist with
'Mentor', a malaria prevention NGO
planning for the placement of Australian volunteers in Aceh province to
focus on health, water supply and sanitation needs.

Reconstruction

Australia's rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance to the tsunami
affected areas is part of the Australia Indonesia Partnership for
Reconstruction and Development announced on 5 January by the Australian Prime
Minister. Funding of this $1 billion Partnership will consist of equal parts of
grant assistance and highly concessional financing. Subject to agreement
between the two governments, possible areas for assistance with rehabilitation
and reconstruction in the tsunami affected areas include health, education and
child protection, water supply and sanitation, income generation, governance,
and disaster management. While there is a clear focus on areas devastated by the tsunami, all areas of Indonesia will be eligible for assistance under the partnership.

Sri Lanka

The Australian Government has committed more than $10 million for emergency relief in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the tsunami. The immediate post tsunami assistance package to Sri Lanka focussed on addressing urgent food aid, shelter, water and sanitation needs and public health issues. AusAID is mobilising further assistance packages for the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase that aims to bring together the numerous offers of assistance received for a collaborative response by government departments, private agencies and individuals.

The Australian Government is committed to ensuring that its assistance reaches those in need in all areas of the country. Australia's aid to Sri Lanka to date has included support for the following:

World Food Programme for emergency food aid for victims of the disaster and related logistical operations.
UNICEF for emergency water and sanitation activities, health promotion, and temporary schools and education materials. Going back to school has been an important activity for the children to regain some normality of life and to assist their healing process.
UNHCR for temporary accommodation camps for the displaced.
Australian NGOs for the provision of emergency relief supplies and services including:

Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific (AFAP) for emergency relief, medical supplies and trauma counselling
Oxfam Australia for search and rescue operations, emergency water, food and household items and deployment of health care personnel.
Marie Stopes International Australia for reproductive health and psycho-social needs
AUSTCARE for prevention of sexual and gender-based violence
International Women's Development Agency to mobilize women in post-tsunami reconstruction activities
Uniting Church Overseas Aid for trauma counselling and relief supplies
Interplast for plastic and reconstructive surgical supplies and services
National Council of Churches Australia for first aid care and repairs to homes

The deployment of a five-person public health team to undertake a rapid assessment in relief camps for disaster victims to identify areas where surveillance and prevention of infectious disease outbreaks could be strengthened. The team arrived on 30 December 2004 with critical medical supplies. The team was in Sri Lanka for nine days and in that time was able to make assessments and provide critical public health recommendations to the Government of Sri Lanka and the World Health Organisation.
Freight costs of two shipments of donated Australian medical, pharmaceutical and surgical items. The items were generously donated by many Australian health and relief organizations. The shipments arrived in Sri Lanka in January and February 2005.
The Australian High Commission in Colombo also approved several immediate small grants from the Direct Aid Program to help families affected by the disaster in Hikkaduwa, Batticaloa, Sainthamarutha and Tricomalee.

Monitoring of the type and distribution of assistance is carried out through the funded organisations themselves, by officers of the Australian High Commission, and by joint donor monitoring missions in whom AusAID participates. Reporting to date indicates that the assistance is reaching tsunami-affected areas and immediate needs have been met.

Following the tsunami, AusAID deployed additional staff to the Australian High Commission in Colombo to assist the relief effort. An AusAID staff member was seconded to UNICEF Sri Lanka to assist them with the coordination of relief efforts.

As an adjunct to the tsunami assistance, the ongoing Australian $23 million aid program to Sri Lanka in 2004/2005 will be adjusted where possible, for the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase. For example, AusAID, under the Australian Community Rehabilitation Program, is providing $1 million through the UNDP for small scale infrastructure projects such as cash for work activities, to help clean up the debris in areas.

See also AusAID in Sri Lanka [MPEG 5.2MB] [video - 30 seconds duration] [Sri Lanka text transcript]

Maldives

The Australian Government has committed approximately $4 million for an immediate assistance package to the Maldives. Currently AusAID is mobilising further assistance packages for the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase that aims to bring together the numerous offers of assistance received for a collaborative response by government departments, private agencies and individuals.

Australia 's aid to the Maldives to date has included support for the following:

The deployment of an eight person team of Australian marine experts to undertake a rapid assessment of damage to the coral reef structure and associated ecosystems with the Government of the Maldives. The team was in the Maldives from 24 January 2005 for 16 days. The coral reefs and reef ecosystems are fundamental to the country's tourism and fishing industries. The assessment surveyed 124 reef sites and found that the coral reefs have fortunately only received minor damage from the tsunami. The team of experts provided advice to the Government of the Maldives on increasing the reef monitoring program and extra protection measures to safeguard the reefs and reef ecosystems.
The deployment of 15 primary and secondary teachers to assist the Ministry of Education to re-open schools in time for the start of the new school year in late January 2005. The teachers, who will stay for 6 months, have now settled into their designated communities and schools on outlying islands.
The deployment of a four person team of Australian engineers to work with the Maldives school authorities and UNICEF to assess the structural safety and repairs needed for 35 schools. The team were in the Maldives from 21 January 2005 for 3 weeks. Fortunately the engineers found that most of the schools received only minor damage, with only 17 per cent in need of major repairs. The structural safety of school buildings following the tsunami was a priority concern of the Government of the Maldives before the start of the new school year for more than 100,000 children.
World Food Programme for emergency food aid for victims of the disaster and related logistical operations.
The deployment of a 17-person medical team to treat people affected by the disaster and to deliver critical medical supplies. The medical team was in the Maldives from 30 December for 9 days. They also carried in 4,000 urgently needed jerry cans for household water storage. As the Maldives consists of 199 inhabited islands out of a total of 1190 islands over a large area, the medical team divided into 3 sub teams. The medical teams were also able to provide critical public health recommendations to the Government of Maldives on immediate measures for avoiding major outbreaks of disease.
Freight costs for the shipment of Australian donated medical, pharmaceutical and surgical items to the Maldives in February 2005. The items were generously donated by several Australian health and relief organizations.

See also AusAID in the Maldives [MPEG 5.2MB] [video - 30 seconds duration] [Maldives text transcript]

Seychelles

Australia has contributed $500,000 to the United Nations Development Program to provide shelter for families and also be used to rebuild infrastructure and help with general economic recovery. Currently a small team of Australian marine experts is planning a joint mission with the United Nations Environment Program in March 2005, to provide assistance and advice to the Government of the Seychelles on the coral reef and ecosystems affected by the tsunami.

Countries, economies and regions

Stakeholder engagement

Development

Travel advice

International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate

Passports

24-hour consular emergency helpline

Visas