Jogja Quake

I was still sleeping in an easy saturday morning, when at about 8:30 my cellphone brought news from one of my office friends which reads :

An earthquake of intensity 5.9 in the Ritcher scale shook Yogyakarta and adj districts incldg surabaya at abt 0559 hrs today 27 May 06 for 57 secs duration causing public panic. A nr of casualties and minor to heavy damages of properties initially reported. DSS currently checking status of UN staff in the area. -FSCO Jakarta

Hmm. 5.9 Ritcher Scale. I didn't know how big it was, then I turned on the TV and it's everywhere on the channels. Watched Metro for Live report and boy, it was a huge one. As the news grew, the number of death casualties increases. I'm so terrified and at the same time clueless of what I can do.

I also got a call from my cousin who happened to have a vacation in Jogja, and said that at about 6 am, she and a lot of people ran out of her hotel, Mercure. Some people are not even dressed. And chaotic situations started when some people shouted "Water, water!" (some were riding bicycles), causing public panic because their fear of tsunami.

Through these webpages I montitor what has been done and the latest updates : www.mediacenter.or.id, a web maintained by local NGO Yayasan Air Putih and also helpjogja.net.

I sure hope that the survivors are keeping the spirit up, though this is shocking in double, since all cautions were at Merapi Mountain, and suddenly the tectonic earthquake shattered Yogyakarta District, with epicentrum in the sea near Parangtritis Beach. Bantul is the highest casualties number (more than 2000 lives).

Some international aids have already promised. In the office, my friend D is organising it for us. Sort of a blessing in disguise, the team of Merapi Technical Working Group is already there, so hopefully that can speed up the aids distribution process.