86 000 displaced, 9 000 houses destroyed after M6.5 quake in Indonesia

As of December 15, 2016, more than 86 000 people have been displaced and over 9 000 houses destroyed after strong and shallow M6.5 earthquake hit Sigli City, Aceh Province, Indonesia at 05:03 UTC on December 6, 2016. The death toll, as of today, is 103 with 96 bodies now positively identified.

The earthquake, although felt strongly in Pidie, Pidie Jaya and the surrounding districts, did not cause a tsunami and there was no tsunami warning. Based on the National Statistics Bureau (BP), the total population in Pidie District is around 425 974 while in Pidie Jaya District, it is 151 472.

Based on the record of the ASEAN Disaster Information Network (ADINet), the area had been affected by earthquakes in the past, the most recent was in October 2013, when a M5.6 earthquake shook Pidie District.

As of 05:00 local time today, December 15, the National Disaster Management Authority of Indonesia of BNPB reported that the death toll is 103 with 96 bodies now positively identified.

The Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) teams are continuously working to identify the rest of the victims.

In total, 780 individuals were injured and 86 417 were displaced.

Infrastructure damages are 9 157 houses, 358 shop houses, 104 mosques, 17 school facilities and 83 bridges.

There are a total of 10 217 personnel from different government agencies, both local and national, volunteers and organizations working together in assisting the affected communities.

Identified needs are clothing and food, medical equipment and medicine, orthopedic doctors, temporary shelter, water for hygiene and sanitation, volunteers, heavy equipment, tents for health services, medical personnel (orthopedic surgeons, doctors and nurses proficient in administering anesthesia) clean water and water reservoirs, operation field hospital.

Source: Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Featured image credit: Damage after M6.5 earhtuqke hits Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia on December 6, 2016.