In January 2021, two powerful earthquakes struck West Sulawesi, Indonesia
Executive Summary
On January 14, 2021, at 14:35 local time, two powerful earthquakes struck, followed by another strong tremor on the next day, Friday, January 15, 2021, at 02:28 local time measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale. Data updated as of Friday (1/15) at 06.00 WIB. The Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Council (BMKG) confirmed that the earthquake hitting Majene, West Sulawesi, resulted from active fault movements, causing a shallow crustal earthquake.
By Friday, 22.00 WIB, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) had reported 42 fatalities, with 34 in the Mamuju Regency and eight in Majene. Mitra Manakarra Hospital and the Mamuju Regency Regional Hospital suffered severe damage. The Mamuju Port and the Yellow Bridge in Takandeang, Tapalang Mamuju, were also affected. In the Majene Regency, approximately 300 homes sustained damage due to the quake.
One hundred eighty-nine people in the Mamuju Regency sustained severe injuries and are currently under medical care. Meanwhile, in the Regency of Majene, 637 people experienced minor injuries. Additionally, around 15,000 people were evacuated to ten designated points. The Regency of Majene is still in the process of recovery, with many public facilities, including schools, being severely damaged and awaiting reconstruction. Despite some schools receiving renovation aid, they are yet to acquire essential facilities such as tables, chairs, and blackboards.
Give2Asia immediately began supporting relief efforts in the affected communities, working with our trusted Partners in the Country. Give2Asia raised a modest amount of US$ 2,558.14 and has granted a recovery and rehabilitation project to one of our DisasterLink partners in the Country. Thank you to each donor who made this possible.
Grant Snapshots
School Facility Assistance Program – PKPU Human Initiatives
On Tuesday 19 June 2022, Human Initiative collaborated with Give2Asia to provide school facilities with chairs and tables to be used at SDN Dungkait, Kec. Tapalang, Kab. Mamuju, West Sulawesi. The beneficiaries of this program are 171 students—20 students in class I, 30 students in class II, 28 students in class III, 36 students in class IV, 24 students in class VI, and 33 students in class VI.
The distribution process went smoothly, and the chairs and tables were transported to the school via truck on a journey of approximately 4 hours. The handover ceremony was attended by the Principal of SDN Dungkait who shared his personal experience during the earthquake.
Current Situation
With 17,000 islands and over 80,000 kilometers of coast, Indonesia is vulnerable to sea-level rise and myriad natural disasters. Floods are the most the common hazard, but the unpredictability and wide-spread devastation caused by earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions make geological disasters much more threatening. The World Bank has estimated that 40 percent of the country’s population, or around 90 million people, are vulnerable to disasters.
The national government has created a de-centralized structure to prepare and respond to disasters and climate change. However, these structures are often lacking and funding is frequently diverted from preparation and mitigation to emergency response.
Despite the national government’s allocation of one percent of its budget to disaster and climate change mitigation and a number of active donor agencies and INGOs, local NGOs find it difficult to access funding, and many lack the organizational capability necessary to mitigate disasters. This is partly because of the government policy to direct aid agency and INGO funding to strengthening government preparation and response at all levels, rather than directing it to civil society.
International donors and grantmakers have the opportunity to support these small local organizations doing community-based disaster preparedness. From climate change adaptation in the agricultural sector, to awareness raising and evacuation planning in vulnerable areas, Indonesia will need wide-ranging support from the international donor community to overcome the threats posed by climate change and disasters.
Give2Asia works to increase the capacity of local community-based organizations across Asia to prepare for disasters and build sustainable programming to address long-term climate challenges. We work with countries that are highly vulnerable to disasters to fund innovative programming at the community level. You can donate to the Give2Asia Preparedness Fund to support partners in their disaster preparedness efforts.