Tsunami preparedness in Indonesia: Malteser International expert on call

Cologne - Malteser International's expert for disaster risk reduction, Ria Hidajat, is available for interviews on today's earthquake and tsunami in the Pacific region. She has been advising the organisation's disaster preparedness project team in West Papua und has just returned from the Manokwari region. The project was introduced in July 2010 and is now being implemented.

Malteser International, the relief service of the Order of Malta for worldwide humanitarian aid, has trained 20 volunteers in each of the 11 villages served by the project to form disaster preparedness committees. The 220 volunteers have been trained in search and rescue, among other skills, and are currently helping to evacuate the villages. They can also provide first aid in case of an emergency.

All villages have been warned and evacuated by the disaster preparedness committees. Eight of those villages have been contacted directly by telephone, while the remaining three were informed through neighbouring villages.

While the local authorities meanwhile have cancelled the tsunami warning for Manokwari/West Papua, all villagers will remain in the designated evacuation sites until tomorrow.

Malteser International's disaster preparedness programme counts with the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office.

Attention editors: Ria Hidajat, Malteser International's expert for disaster risk reduction, is available for telephone interviews. Contact numbers: +49 (0) 221 98 22-155.