HOPE worldwide Indonesia team bringing aid to West Papua

January 5, 2009 - An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 rocked the Indonesian province of West Papua on Sunday, January 4, 2009. The quake was centered about 95 miles west-northwest of Manokwari, Indonesia and about 105 miles east-northeast of Sorong.

Communication and transportation in these remote locations are making relief efforts difficult for Papuans. The area can only be reached by air from Jakarta or Jayapura. However, the airport has been closed due to runway damage. At the present time media reports have been infrequent, increasing the fear of more than four casualties and 23 injured as officially reported. The National Disaster Management Agency reported that 14,000 people have been displaced.

HOPE worldwide - Indonesia disaster relief team, which has been an intregal part of relief efforts since the 2005 tsunami, plans to travel today, and arrive tomorrow in Papua to deliver aid and conduct a rapid assessment of the situation. Our goal is to deliver immediate aid for those most severely affected.

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