GEA Search and Rescue providing support at Lombok, Indonesia

LOMBOK ISLAND IS SITUATED ON THE SEISMICALLY ACTIVE ‘RING OF FIRE’, WHICH FORMS A HORSESHOE AROUND THE PACIFIC BASIN. AS A RESULT, THIS INDONESIAN ISLAND IS ACUTELY VULNERABLE TO EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS. THIS SUMMER, A SERIES OF EARTHQUAKES DEVASTATED THE ISLAND. A QUAKE MEASURING 6.4 ON THE RICHTER SCALE STRUCK IN JULY, FOLLOWED BY A SECOND WITH A MAGNITUDE OF 7 IN AUGUST. SOME 600 AFTERSHOCKS ENSUED.

Implementing partner GEA SEARCH & RESCUE

Country Indonesia

The Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management declared 460 fatalities, over 1,000 people injured and more than 400,000 habitants internally displaced

Lombok Island is situated on the seismically active ‘Ring of Fire’, which forms a horseshoe around the Pacific Basin. As a result, this Indonesian island is acutely vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. This summer, a series of earthquakes devastated the island. A quake measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale struck in July, followed by a second with a magnitude of 7 in August. Some 600 aftershocks ensued.

GEA Search and Rescue (SAR) Team, a long-standing JTI Foundation partner has stepped in and is carrying out critical emergency response and disaster preparedness activities.

GEA SAR delivers training and capacity building. They will provide psychological support and give basic training such as earthquake preparedness and how to give emergency first aid.

Deployment of an experienced SAR team to train up local volunteers, two trips to Lombok;
Establishment of local volunteer SAR team, 15 members;
Providing SAR training and basic equipment for the local SAR volunteer team;
Training of volunteer Trainers in earthquake awareness;
Training in community mobilization and the provision of psychosocial support

A local search and rescue team made up of 15 local volunteers, will be trained by GEA SAR team to carry out basic search and rescue response to save people under the debris, and provide emergency response and psychological support in the future. Around 380 000 of the island’s residents will indirectly benefit from this initiative.