Due to the earthquake with magnitude 6.2 that hit West Sulawesi on January 15, 2021, we need your help to provide urgent needs for families in the Majene district. There are still-isolated villages in the district. No sufficient aid has reached them already.

Impacts of the Earthquake

During three times earthquakes hit West Sulawesi last week, the second one was the hardest. With magnitude 6.2, the earthquake hit and the two most affected districts namely Majene and Mamuju on January 15. Majene is closest to the epicenter of the earthquake. For the disaster, the Governor of West Sulawesi Province has issued a Decree on Emergency Status, which is valid from 15 January to 28 January 2021.

Source: National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) report released on 18 January 2021 at 15.00 local time

National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) release an update on Monday, 18 January 2021 at 15.00 Central Indonesia Time about the casualties in Majene and Mamuju.

In Majene, there found nine deaths, 64 people seriously injured, 215 moderately injured, 275 people had a minor injury. There are 27,850 people who fled to 25 evacuation points in several villages, namely Kota Tinggi, Lombong, Kayu Angin, Petabean, Deking, Mekata, Kabiraan, Lakkading, Lembang, Limbua in the subdistrict of Ulumanda, Malunda, and Sendana.

The post-earthquake situation in Malunda Sub-district, Majene District. People left their damaged house (left photo) and moved to evacuation camps (right photo) (Photos: Irsan Laburante/IDEP).

Meanwhile, the casualties in Mamuju consisting of 64 deaths, 189 people seriously injured (hospitalized), and the number of evacuees has not been recorded, but they gathered at five evacuation points in the district of Mamuju and sub-district of Simboro. In total, there are 73 deaths in the district of Majene and Mamuju.

In the District of Majene, landslides occurred at 3 points along the Majene-Mamuju highway. Yet, it is still accessible by logistics vehicles. 415 houses were damaged (data is being updated), 1 unit of Ulumanda Community Health Center (severely damaged), Military Command Office of Malunda (severely damaged), the electricity partially goes out, and cellular communication is unstable.

Post-landslide in Majene-Mamuju highway (Photo: Yakub/IDEP)

The current condition is that patients being treated at the affected hospital are temporarily evacuated in an open-air hospital, the stock of PPEs is currently running low, the health cluster is now being activated, and the Mamuju airport communication system is normal, and the runway is suitable for flight. Fuel and gas supply agencies (SPBU, LPG, and SPBE) were not affected, so this morning, they could normally operate and serve the community's needs. Three hospitals are currently active for emergency services in the Mamuju District, namely Bhayangkara Hospital, Provincial Hospital of West Sulawesi, and another hospital in the District of Mamuju. The electricity in Majene and Mamuju is partially back on.

The situation in Mamuju District (Photo: Irsan Laburante/IDEP)

Most of the Mamuju District markets are not functioning so that the availability of essential commodities is insufficient. There were only a few small shops that started operating even with limited stocks. Meanwhile, the local market in Majene District has returned to functioning yet with limited capacity and availability.

The Gap to Fill In

Majene is one of the most affected as it is located close to the earthquake epicenter, specifically its two sub-districts namely Malunda and Ulumanda. There are four isolated villages in the sub-districts. Two of the villages are located in Malunda, while the other is in Ulumanda. It is due to avalanches from the impact of the earthquake that cut the main access road. The only way to reach the villages is by walking or riding a motorcycle (with help from others). For this reason, there is no sufficient aid delivered to the villages. 

The main access road to some part of Kabiraan village is still covered by landslide avalanche (Photo: Irsan Laburante/IDEP)

 Temporary evacuation tents are built with limitation (Photo: Irsan Laburante/IDEP)

There are more than families who live in one tent only due to the isolation (Photo: Irsan Laburante/IDEP)

We Need Your Help

Given that there are still isolated families with no sufficient aid in the sub-districts of Malunda and Ulumanda, we need your help to provide them healthy food, hygiene kit, shelter kit, medicine, and vitamin, and other urgent needs.

Since 20 January, our team has been conducting rapid assessments in the sub-district of Malunda and Ulumanda. The assessment will be followed up by the distribution of logistics urgently needed by the evacuees in the four villages mentioned above. COVID-19 protocol will be applied during the assessment and distribution.

To gather comprehensive information and collaborative action, we have been registered and participating in a coordination forum, namely Volunteer Coordination Desk, organized by BNPB. IDEP team is also working with a local contact in Malunda and Ulumanda.

If you consider donating directly to our Indonesian bank account, please use this official one:

Bank                      : BNI (Bank Negara Indonesia)
Account number: 0105282577
Account name    : Yayasan Idep
SWIFT CODE        : BNINIDJADPS

THANK YOU! Your help, how modest it is, means a lot to the families.

About us

IDEP Foundation (IDEP) is a non-governmental organization established in 1999. Combining the disaster risk reduction and permaculture approach, IDEP collaborates with the community to make community resilience happen. For 20 years, IDEP has helped many communities in disaster-affected areas such as Aceh, Mentawai, Padang, Merapi, Jogjakarta, Bali, Kupang, and East Flores.

To get more information, please visit  IDEP Foundation.