Emergency Response

October 2, 2009

Earthquake in Indonesia; Tsunami in Samoa; Philippines Braces for Another Powerful Typhoon

A major earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck West Sumatra in Indonesia on Wednesday, September 29, 2009, causing havoc and major damage to the provincial capital of Padang and Pariaman District. A day before, a tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake devastated the coasts of Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga. Meanwhile, another powerful typhoon is set to hit the Philippines next Saturday, October 3, barely a week after Tropical Storm Ketsana tore across the country, demolishing and flooding tens of thousands of homes and leaving 80 percent of the capital city of Manila under water.

The United Church is a member of Action by Churches Together (ACT)*, a global consortium of faith-based agencies and churches that responds to emergencies in all parts of the world. ACT works through regional and country members to respond to specific emergencies. It is able to draw on a standing Rapid Response Fund and relies on extra donations from its members for major disasters.

Members of ACT in Indonesia report that thousands of houses have been heavily damaged or destroyed by fire and several hospitals destroyed. The government health department has reported that hundreds of people are still trapped in damaged buildings. As of Wednesday, September 30, the death toll in Padang and Pariaman was reported to have reached 75 people and is expected to rise. Rescue operations are hampered due to difficulty in communication caused by power outage and severely damaged roads. Members of Action by Churches Together are mobilizing and coordinating among themselves in delivering immediate relief assistance. Immediate humanitarian needs identified include tents (due to heavy rain), medical teams, and additional equipment to help with search and rescue of survivors trapped in buildings.

In Samoa, an estimated 32,000 people have been left homeless by the tsunami. Officials have confirmed the deaths of 140 people, most of whom were women, children, or elderly. Communications and other infrastructure have broken down. Tsunami survivors continue to search for their missing family members. According to ACT development staff Faautu Talapusi, Samoans are used to organizing themselves. Village chiefs and elders are leading people in helping each other to cope with the disaster. The local churches are helping those whose homes and families have been hit by disaster. They have requested for food, drinking water, shelter, and basic household members. ACT members around the Pacific region are ready to assist the church councils at Samoa with emergency expertise and resources in cooperation with the Pacific Conference of Churches.

In the Philippines, the death toll from Typhoon Ketsana has now risen to 240 people, according to government figures. There is now a threat of another powerful typhoon, expected to hit the country next Saturday, October 3, 2009. Nearly 2 million people were affected by the typhoon and flooding last week. Up to 375,000 people are staying in 600 evacuation centres. Working in mud and debris, Philippine partners of The United Church of Canada are mobilizing crews of staff and volunteers to deliver immediate relief in affected communities in the capital city of Manila and other affected provinces, towns, and villages. Their local churches and buildings have been opened as evacuation centres. The painful task of rebuilding continues as they anxiously face the threat of another devastating typhoon in a few days.

The United Church of Canada responded early this week to the Philippine disaster with an immediate amount of $10,000. Emergency funds of $10,000 are being sent to ACT for Indonesia. As of October 2, there has not yet been a request to ACT from Pacific Island partners. The United Church of Canada is prepared to respond when a request is made.

How United Church Members Can Help

Pray: Please hold people of the Philippines, Indonesia, Samoa and the entire region in prayer.

Donate: You may make a donation in either of two ways:

• Support the Emergency Response Fund of The United Church of Canada.
• Designate a gift for "Philippines Relief" or "Indonesia Relief" or "Pacific Islands Relief" and funds collected will be shared directly with partners or networks in the region. Cheques and online donations should be made payable to The United Church of Canada and marked "Philippines Relief" or "Indonesia Relief" or "Pacific Islands Relief." The funds will be treated as "designated gifts."

Please note: Designated gifts cannot be counted as M&S Fund credits. However, they are eligible for tax receipts. Congregational treasurers may receive and receipt individual cheques and then forward one congregational cheque to the United Church.

As always with United Church emergency funds, 100 percent of all donations received will be committed to support relief and reconstruction work for people in need. There is no administration fee deducted. This is made possible thanks to the generous ongoing support of United Church members to the church's Mission and Service (M&S) Fund. Contributions to M&S allow the United Church to absorb the staffing and operating costs of processing donations for emergency appeals.

In the case of designated gifts for emergency appeals, the church does allocate 15 percent of your donation to replenish the Emergency Response Fund. These monies are used exclusively to enable the United Church to immediately respond to current and future emergency needs of people in crisis around the world.

For further information, please contact:

Philippines and Indonesia:

• Bern Jagunos
  Program Coordinator, East Asia and the Philippines
  Tel: 416-231-7680 ext. 4077
  Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 4077
  E-mail: Bern Jagunos

Pacific Islands:

• Jim Hodgson
  Caribbean/Central America/Pacific Regional Program Coordinator
  Tel: 416-231-5931 ext. 4013
  Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 4013
  E-mail: Jim Hodgson