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2 June: MapAction deploys to Yogyakarta, Indonesia |
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Friday, 02 June 2006 |
MapAction are part of the response to the earthquake disaster in
Yogyakarta, Java. A field-based team of two is deploying to
Yogyakarta, backed up by more GIS resourses in the UK.
On the 26th May a magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurred in the Yogyakarta
area of Java. Although international response was not formally
requested, several assessment teams deployed. An UNDAC team was formed
within the region to supplement the OCHA personnel already in the
country, who were there preparing for the predicted eruption of Mount
Merapi volcano 30km to the north of Yogyakarta. More than 5,000
fatalities were reported with over 20,000 injured and 200,000
homeless. Hospitals were quickly overcrowded and there were few places
to shelter.
MapAction began monitoring the situation and on Saturday the 27th June
formal warning call was made to MapAction volunteers. MapAction
offered the UN the possibility of mobilising two GIS volunteers in
close support of the UNDAC team. The Head of the OCHA Field
Information Support Project in New York keenly acknowledged our offer
but kept any deployment on hold pending the UNDAC Team Leader's
assessment.
The deployment kit was prepared as the situation in Yogyakarta was
monitored and deployment volunteers prepared themselves for the
possible deployment. Then Wednesday afternoon the OCHA Team explained
that after consultations with their Team Leader and the authorities in
Yogyakarta it seemed that they were able to manage at the moment and
MapAction was stood down. As you might expect within a few hours the UN
were in contact again explaining the situation had changed and could we
provide the two man team we had offered. Final preparations were made
and the difficulties of re-booking flights overcome. Anne Frankland
departs for Yogyakarta tomorrow, Saturday and Alex Irving on Monday and
both are planned to return home on the 12 June.
Ming and Nick have been working throughout coordinating GIS for the
deployment and arranging the admin with the UN team in Yogyakarta.
The Air tickets were finally confirmed this afternoon and biked across
London. Tomorrow the UK team will meet with Anne at Heathrow to hand
over kit, tickets and money and see her off. Alex will be doing the
same on Monday. Both ready to provide a key link in the information
chain from virtually the moment they touch down at the scene of the
disaster.
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Deployment Diary 
