Planning Matters: Response Operations following the 30 September 2009 Sumatran Earthquake
Abstract
Response operations following the 9/30/2009 West Sumatra earthquake tested extensive planning that had been done in Indonesia since the 26 December 2004 Sumatran Earthquake and Tsunami. After massive destruction in Aceh Province in 2004, the Indonesian National Government revised its national disaster management plans. A key component was to select six cities in Indonesia exposed to significant risk and make a focused investment of resources, planning activities, and public education to reduce risk of major disasters. Padang City was selected for this national “showcase” for disaster preparedness, planning, and response. The question is whether planning improved governmental performance and coordination in practice. There is substantial evidence that disaster preparedness planning and training initiated over the past four years had a positive effect on Padang in terms of disaster risk reduction. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB, 10/28/09) reported the following casualties: Padang City: deaths, 383; severe injuries, 431, minor injuries, 771. Province of West Sumatra: deaths, 1209; severe injuries, 67; minor injuries, 1179. These figures contrasted markedly with the estimated losses following the 2004 Earthquake and Tsunami when no training had been done: Banda Aceh, deaths, 118,000; Aceh Province, dead/missing, 236,169 (ID Health Ministry 2/22/05). The 2004 events were more severe, yet the comparable scale of loss was significantly lower in the 9/30/09 earthquake. Three factors contributed to reducing disaster risk in Padang and West Sumatra. First, annual training exercises for tsunami warning and evacuation had been organized by national agencies since 2004. In 2008, all exercises and training activities were placed under the newly established BNPB. The exercise held in Padang in February, 2009 served as an organizing framework for response operations in the 9/30/09 earthquake. Public officers with key responsibilities for emergency operations immediately contacted one another by radio, and the mayor activated the emergency plan within five minutes of the earthquake. Second, public awareness of tsunami risk was high, and residents of Padang self-evacuated when they felt strong shaking from the earthquake. Signs posted on the streets prior to the earthquake showed the evacuation route to high ground and safety. Third, back-up generators at key facilities - radio station, hospitals, fire station, and mayor’s residence - enabled key officials to mobilize response operations immediately with continued electrical power. Yet, this event revealed new lessons for disaster planning and response critical to protecting lives, property, and continuity of operations for this city of 900,000 residents. The evacuation procedure outlined in the plan proved inadequate for the 600,000 residents who live in the Red Zone, close to the beach. A mass exodus of residents to the streets trying to cross the one bridge that led to high ground created a monumental traffic jam. Emergency personnel need protection for their families in order to report for duty to protect the lives and property of city residents. The planning continues.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AGUFM.U22B..04C
- Keywords:
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- 0456 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Life in extreme environments;
- 0468 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Natural hazards;
- 0493 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Urban systems;
- 0840 EDUCATION / Evaluation and assessment