Microsoft Word - MDRWS001_OU1

Samoa:

Earthquake and
tsunami

MDRWS001

DREF operation update n° 1

GLIDE n°

TS-2009-000209-ASM

;

and

TS-2009-000210-WSM

02 October 2009

The International Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked
money created by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red
Cross and Red Crescent response to emergencies. The DREF is a vital part of the International
Federation’s disaster response system and increases the ability of national societies to respond to
disasters.

Period covered by this update:
28 September to 2 October, 2009.

Summary: CHF 325,134 CHF has been allocated from
the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund
(DREF) to support the Samoa Red Cross Society in
delivering immediate assistance to up to 15,000
beneficiaries (3,000 families). Unearmarked funds to
repay DREF are encouraged.

This operation supports the Samoan Red Cross Society
in addressing the immediate needs of the local
communities which have been severely affected by the
earthquake and tsunami of 29 September 2009.

This operation is expected to be implemented over a
minimum period of three months and may be extended
to either six or nine months. This depends upon the
results of the needs assessment that has just started.
Final Report will be made available three months after
the end of the operation
(by March 2010.)

<click here to view contact details>

The European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) has contributed EUR 150,000 (CHF
226,770 or USD 218,325 and the Canadian Red Cross and government CAD 50,000 (USD 46,061 or
CHF 47,840) towards the replenishment of the DREF for the allocation made to this operation. The major
donors and partners of the DREF include the Danish Red Cross, Irish Red Cross/ Irish government,
Japanese Red Cross, Monaco Red Cross/ Monaco government, Netherlands Red Cross/ Netherlands
government, Norwegian Red Cross/ Norwegian government, Swedish Red Cross/ Swedish government,
Italian government, United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), ECHO, OPEC
Fund for International Development, and corporate and private donors.

On behalf of the Samoa Red Cross, the International Federation would like to thank all Movement
partners and all concerned parties for the tremendous efforts being made to assist Samoa Red Cross.

A Samoa Red Cross Society volunteer at
Lalomanu Hospital on the south coast of the
island of Upolu in Samoa gets water ready for
distribution to people who fled the coast after the
tsunami.

Photo: The International Federation

The situation

On 29 September 2009, at the universal time of 17:48:07, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre reported an
earthquake measuring a magnitude of 8.3 in the Pacific, off American Samoa; which generated a Pacific
wide tsunami warning. (At the local time of 0408hours the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre stated that a
Tsunami warning was in effect for American Samoa, Samoa, Niue, Waliis-Futuna, Tokelau, Cook Islands,
Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Kermadec Island, Fiji, Howland-Baker, Jarvis Island, New Zealand, French
Polynesia, and Palmyra Island).

The earthquake lasted over five minutes. The epicentre of the quake was located 190 km southwest of
American Samoa. Samoan reports say the wave that hit in Apia was 0.7 of a metre while the second, larger
wave in Pago Pago, in American Samoa, was measured at 1.7 metres. Apia was evacuated by police and
Red Cross volunteers and people were directed to higher ground inland. The greatest impact from the
tsunami was in Western Samoa and American Samoa.

This afternoon the government confirmed 223 people dead (nine bodies were found today) and 16 people
are still missing. It is estimated that 10,000 people have been affected by the tsunami. This represents an
enormous percentage of the total population of Samoa. There are many people in shock as there has not
been anything like this in living memory.

Forty villages have been affected along 40 kilometres of coastline in the south of Upolu Island. There has
only been minor damage on the other island of Savai'i. Another affected area is Putasy, in the district of
Salelili. Twenty villages on Upolu were completely destroyed and approximately 2,000 people have been left
homeless. People are living in makeshift shelters, camp areas set up by the Red Cross and with host
families.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that there are 14 tourists missing and five dead. The tourists are said to be
from New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, and Uruguay.

Water supplies have been cut off in the areas and volunteers are working with fire service to deliver tanks,
bladders and bottles of safe water.

Many people are involved in the collection and burning of debris. Salvageable materials are being collected
for rebuilding.

Communications are improving with broad band high speed internet being available in the Samoa Red Cross
Society’s office and some phone lines becoming more accessible. Digicel has donated ten mobile phones.

Ongoing support is needed in water and sanitation, health, shelter, psychological support, restoring family
links and also in the early recovery and reconstruction of schools, homes and rebuilding of livelihoods.

In American Samoa, the American Red Cross is working closely with the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) where a mass care team, support services, and relief supplies to American Samoa to assist
the local chapter and its volunteers by providing relief and supplies to those affected.

Coordination and partnerships

Samoa Red Cross Society was active immediately. They requested international assistance and have been
sharing information with the International Federation regional office in Suva, Fiji; and the Asia Pacific zone
office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The International Federation’s regional office in Suva is taking the operational lead; and the disaster
management unit (DMU) in Kuala Lumpur is undertaking the international lead role. Response from the
International Federation in Kuala Lumpur and Suva includes a field assessment coordination team (FACT)
from the region. The team includes Pacific islanders trained in the regional disaster response team as
additional resource people.

The International Federation office in Suva is in regular contact with the 13 national societies of the Pacific

region. Each national society has trained staff and volunteers in disaster response. All national societies
have prepositioned emergency response stocks including: blankets, tarpaulins, water containers and basic
household items such as cooking utensils.

The DMU will be providing the overall coordination for all offers of assistance from the Red Cross Red
Crescent Movement partners to ensure a cooperative response and minimise the requirements of additional
management from Samoa Red Cross Society.

New Zealand’s International Aid & Development Agency (NZAID)/the New Zealand (NZ) ministry of foreign
affairs and trade have established a crisis centre to co-ordinate NZ response.

The Secretary General of the Samoa Red Cross Society and the FACT Team leader are attending the
Government/OCHA coordination meetings which are being chaired by the Prime Minister of the country.

United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC), trained staff have been deployed to
conduct preliminary assessments, and current information. (The many United Nations’ agencies will be
working with the Movement in the affected areas)

The Prime Minister of New Zealand will visit the Red Cross office on Friday.

In addition, the cluster system is now activated for the Pacific. It is likely that the systems are in effect for
water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); health and nutrition; education, protection, early recovery and
information management.

Lastly, that the Samoa national disaster management committee have directed the CEO of the Computer
Services of Samoa to provide technical support to get communications up and running; where
communications links will be restored today.

Red Cross and Red Crescent action

Samoa Red Cross Society volunteers have been active since the earthquake when church bells alerted them
to help evacuate people from coastal areas and now has over 200 volunteers are active in the operation.

To date volunteers have been distributing relief items including: water, food, blankets and tarpaulins, as well
as supporting the camps for people who are now homeless and/or as yet too scared to go home, and
registering people. Additionally support has been provided with the transport of bodies to the local hospital.
In some villages, Samoa Red Cross Society volunteers, alongside community members, police and other
government workers are continuing to clear debris.

The Red Cross is also supporting the restoration of family links. Yesterday a Wellington man who flew to
Samoa looking for his wife and daughter were reunified with the support of the Red Cross.

The International Federation are supporting the Samoa Red Cross Society; and has released CHF 325,134
yesterday to support the delivery of immediate assistance.

The International Federation and the Samoa Red Cross Society are in the middle of household assessments
using emergency response team (ERT) assessment forms. Teams of volunteers are conducting individual
household interviews in affected communities and they estimate two thirds of the affected communities have
now been interviewed.

Fiji Red Cross has transferred FJD10,000 (CHF5,376), while the New Zealand Red Cross supplied: 50 family
tents, 1000 blankets, 500 kitchen sets, 100 first aid kit refills and 200 body bags to the Samoa Red Cross
Society. These emergency items were cleared through customs at Faleolo airport today.

Cook Islands Red Cross has also extended an offer of support to Samoa Red Cross Society on their
response effort and are talking to the Samoan community on Cook Islands. Tuvalu Red Cross has mobilized
a FACTTeam delegate for Samoa Red Cross Society.

Australian Red Cross is on standby to provide relief supplies and a water unit is being deployed.

The French Red Cross has sent a 4X4 by boat and is planning to send a water purification unit.

Three Federation Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) members are already in Samoa and four
others are arriving later today. The team comprises relief, logistics, health, water and sanitation, shelter,
restoring family links and psychosocial support expertise. Team members will work closely with Samoa Red
Cross Society volunteers and staff members.

The FACT team will be based inside the Samoa Red Cross Society offices and is working with them on
developing their approach to relief and early recovery planning. The International Federation with the
national society are considering what additional support might be needed over the coming days/weeks in
terms of recovery expertise

A regional disaster response team (RDRT) communications kit is on its way to Apia.

Offers of support have come in from many quarters for the Samoa Red Cross Society. Local agencies are
offering buildings to house the homeless; a Swiss yachtsman offering to comb the coast; technical college
tutors offering to deliver people and goods; and donations of used clothes and food.

The Samoa Red Cross Society and the International Federation are encouraging international donors to
provide cash donations which will enable them to provide culturally appropriate and targeted humanitarian
assistance in line with the identified needs. In addition procurement of items locally will contribute to the
recovery of the local economy.

Progress towards objectives

The proposed operation

Relief distributions (food and basic non-food items)

Objective: The provision of 1,000 kitchen sets, 1,000 mosquito nets, 1,000 blankets and sheltering
materials for 3,000 families (15,000 people).

Activities planned:

Conduct needs and capacity assessments.

Identify beneficiaries using criteria agreed upon between the national society and the local

communities.

Procure supplies based on International Federation logistics standards.

Organize transport to the distribution point.

Organize the various distributions by the local chapters concerned.

Ensure proper recording of distributed items.

Carry out monitoring and evaluation.

The Samoa Red Cross Society has been actively distributing relief supplies including: water, food,
blankets and tarpaulins, to the affected population through its volunteer and staff who have been in the
field since the disaster.

They have set up five Red Cross camps: 1 located in Lalomanu (approx 400 beneficiaries); 1 located in
Lepa (approx 150 beneficiaries); 1 in Salepaga (approx 100 beneficiaries), an additional two camps are
currently being established. In all camps Samoa Red Cross Society have distributed blankets, tarp,
clothing and fresh water.

The International Federation and the Samoa Red Cross Society are in the middle of household assessments
using emergency response team (ERT) assessment forms. Teams of volunteers are conducting individual
household interviews in affected communities and they estimate two thirds of the affected communities have
now been interviewed.

The following NFIs were delivered today for distribution: 1,000 Kitchen Sets, 5,000 Blankets and
2,000 Tarpaulins.

Objective: Provision of household-level water treatment items, 6,000 water purification tablets, 3,000
jerry cans and 2,000 hygiene kits for 3,000 families ( 15,000 people) in the most affected areas.

Activities planned:

Assess the existing coverage with a view of ensuring availability of an adequate water supply

Provide potable water, appropriate sanitation and hygiene promotion for 3,000 families (15,000

people) in the most affected areas

Water supplies have been cut off in the areas and volunteers are working with fire service to deliver
tanks, bladders and bottles of safe water.

Activities supporting access to safe water and sanitation have been undertaken in conjunction with
the relief distributions in camps and household visits.

1,000 Jerry cans (20litre) were delivered by air freight today for distribution.

How we work

All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the

Code of Conduct for the

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations
(NGO's) in Disaster Relief

and is committed to the

Humanitarian Charter and Minimum

Standards in Disaster Response

(Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.

The International Federation’s activities are
aligned with its Global Agenda, which sets
out four broad goals to meet the
Federation's mission to "improve the lives of
vulnerable people by mobilizing the power
of humanity".

Global Agenda Goals:

x Reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact

from disasters.

x Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact

from diseases and public health emergencies.

x Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross

Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent
situations of vulnerability.

Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion
and promote

respect for diversity and human dignity.

Contact information

For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:

x Samoa: Samoa Red Cross Society, Ms. Tautala Mauala, Secretary General, phone:

+68523686; email:

samoaredcross@samoa.ws

Pacific Regional Office for the International Federation, Suva:

x Aurelia Balpe, Head of Pacific Regional Office, phone: +679 331 1855;

email:

aurelia.balpe@ifrc.org

x Ruth Lane, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Delegate, phone: +679 331 1855;

email:

ruth.lane@ifrc.org

Federation Asia Pacific zone office, Kuala Lumpur:

x Michael Annear, disaster management coordinator,

Phone: +603 9207 5726, mobile: +6012 234 6591, email:

michael.annear@ifrc.org

x Penny Elghady, resource mobilization and PMER coordinator,

Phone: +603 9207 5775, fax: +603 2161 0670, email:

penny.elghady@ifrc.org

x Please send all pledges of funding to

zonerm.asiapacific@ifrc.org

x Jeremy Francis, regional logistics coordinator,

Water, sanitation and hygiene promotion

DREF OPERATION BUDGET SUMMARY

Samoa: Earthquake and Tsunami

MDRWS001

ORIGINAL

RELIEF NEEDS

Shelter

15,000

Clothing & Textiles

10,000

Food

15,000

Water & Sanitation

49,000

Teaching Materials

15,000

Utensils & Tools

30,000

Total Relief Needs

134,000

TRANSPORT, STORAGE & VEHICLES

Storage - Warehouse

15,000

Distribution & Monitoring

10,000

Transport & Vehicles Costs

110,000

PERSONNEL

Regionally Deployed Staff

10,000

National Society Staff

10,000

GENERAL EXPENSES

Travel

4,000

Information & Public Relations

5,000

Communication Costs

3,000

Financial Charges

1,000

Other General Expenses

2,000

PROGRAMME SUPPORT

Programme Support - PSR

21,134

Total Operational Needs

191,134

Total Appeal Budget (Cash & Kind)

325,134

Available Resources

Net Request

325,134

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MDRWS001 DREF OU 1

TS-2009

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02 October

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