Unspun

Update 8.16pm – SMS from HOPE’s Charles Ham: 

Bengkulu city is OK, but Lais and Ketahun (northern Bengkulu district) that HOPE team wento to are badly damaged. No electricity, assistance or coordination at all. Communities help each other in this challenging time. Doctor is still treating patients this evening in Ketahun. tx

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Friends from Singapore and Malaysia were inquiring with some concern last night if Unspun and other Jakartans were OK because the Bengkulu earthquake was felt at least in Singapore where not a few suits were seen scrambling to the streets in Raffles Square.

The earth did not move for Unspun and his colleagues though, probably Unspun was in a cab muttering obscenities at the worsening traffic in Jakarta.

This morning, however, Unspun received an e-mail update from Hope Indonesia’s boss Charles Ham and here are the details:

Updates on Bengkulu Earthquake

– Ministry of Social Welfare officially reported 2 dead ( earlier report 7
dead, 17 injured). Need of medical staffs are great.

– HOPE worldwide is sending a disaster relief team scheduled to arrive in
Bengkulu at 12.00pm Sept 13, 2007 bringing aid and medicines

– Additional aid of 5,000 lbs are being mobilized consists of medicine,
hygiene kits, and bladder tank.

– The President of Indonesia has declared emergency and asked his
subordinates to take actions.

– USGS has revised the earthquake magnitude to 8.2 Richter scale

– Five aftershocks above 5 Richter scale continue to take place,

– The second tsunami warning was issued after the 6.0 Richter aftershock at
21:40pm and canceled at 22.47pm

Rusmin, resident of Bengkulu described through his mobile phone “People
panic and are afraid to enter their houses. It is still dark so, we do not
know if our friends or family are still alive or not””

For more Information:
Charles M. Ham, Country Director
HOPE worldwide – Indonesia
Gedung Putera Lt 7, Jl. Gunung Sahari 39, Jakarta 10720 – Indonesia
Telp: 62-21-600-9091, Fax: 62-21-601-0570
Website: Http://id.hopeww.org
Cell: 62-816-183-4574