Indonesian Scouts aid earthquake rescue efforts
Indonesian Scouts didn’t hesitate following the 5.6 magnitude earthquake in Cianjur District, West Java Province. Hundreds of Scouts have joined search and rescue efforts, assisted with the evacuation of survivors and the provision of essential supplies to evacuees.
Gerakan Pramuka Indonesia have long-established training and teams, members of the Scouts Care Task Force, to prepare for emergencies and respond to disasters and are always prepared to serve their communities. We’re proud of their service, courage and resilience.
Past training continues to impact on communities in need, thanks in part to vital funding via Messengers for Peace, our long-standing partners Alwaleed Philanthropies and other generous WSF donors.
After the 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit Cianjur District of the West Java Province of Indonesia on Monday afternoon, 21 November 2022, Scouts in and around the devastated areas grabbed their Scout neckerchief, vest and gear, then directly went to help people in the evacuation areas, assisting in the search and rescue operations.
Senior Rovers took charge of repairing the water channel near the Presidential Palace at Cipanas (around 26 kilometers from Cianjur), and directed traffic in areas where roads were impacted by landslides. Scouts across Java and Indonesia mobilised quickly, coming to the affected areas in Cianjur District, epicentre of the quake. Scouts – mostly Rovers, Senior Rovers, and Scout leaders – came from Sukabumi, Bogor, Bandung, and other cities and towns nearby Cianjur and hundreds of Scouts joined the evacuation and rescue operations from further afield; West Java, Jakarta, and Banten Provinces.
For the first two days of the disaster, Scouts helped search for earthquake victims who were still buried in rubble or missing; by Wednesday, the death toll had climbed to 268, with 151 still missing, as reported by Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure.
Due to fear of aftershocks, people did not return to their homes, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Social Affairs established 1,000 large tents in the affected districts to ensure that people are housed safely. Public kitchens were set up, and Scouts helped by cooking and distributing food to the evacuees.
Scouts have also been instrumental in distributing vital supplies and materials such as food, blankets, clothes, mattresses, tents, and medical supplies for those affected.
Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Committee Chairman Dale B. Corvera and Regional Director J. Rizal C. Pangilinan sent a letter of sympathy expressing their “prayers and condolences to the bereaved family” and wishes of “strength for those who survived that they may be able to overcome this disaster.”
Content and photos with thanks to; The World Organization of the Scout Movement & Scouting in the Asia Pacific Region.