Press Review for August 2007
(Baca Versi Bahasa Indonesia)
Although the tension is no longer as high as the early appearance, avian influenza still appears in some occasion. In Purbalingga, 2.270 chickens died with the indication of AI. The same indication appears in Sukabumi. In Bali, 3 people died as AI suspect. They are later on confirmed to be affected by AI. In Tangerang, one person died of AI. Bali is predicted to be next AI endemic area. Eight sub district in have been affected by this virus. Numbers of patient as AI suspect are now in the treatment of Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar.
Drought starts to affect several areas in Indonesia. Kekeringan mulai melanda beberapa wilayah. Farmers in Cirebon, Indramayu are worrying crop failed, if they plant cannot receive water in time. Drought has also happened in 22 districts of Central Java. The same problem is faced by farmers in Blitar, East Java. Aside from the weather, the reduction of water catchments area is the source of problem.
Still on weather effect, storm has damaged at least 600 hundreds houses and buildings in 6 villages in Bogor. Meanwhile, another storm hits coastal area in West Sumatera. Another disaster, flood, strike Halmahera district, North Maluku, destroying at least 176 houses. The total number of Morowali flood victims has reached 81 people. Evacuation will be held up to August 9th. The evacuation activity was obstructed by geographical difficulties, the same difficulties faced by health and sanitation aid distribution.
Earthquake still occurs in several areas in Indonesia. Bengkulu was facing a tectonic earthquake of 5.7 RS on Friday, August 3rd 2007, no casualties reported. Panic was felt on Jakarta and Bandung area due to an earthquake happened on Thursday midnight August 9th 2007. The same earthquake causing even bigger panic in Pangandaran area, people were worrying the possibility of tsunami as it happened last year. A 5.4 RS earthquake in Halsel has injured a child an damaged 41 houses.
Tuesday (14/8) Soputan Mountain in Minahasa erupted and spread dust. Houses and farm were covered by dust up to 2 cm high. In North Sulawesi Utara, as the alert level has increased. More than eight hundred people were evacuated to a safer area. Alert level in Gamalama Mountain in Ternate was also increased to Alert II.
International news, a 6.4 RS earthquake shake Shakalin, Rusia. Two people were dead. In Sudan, a number of 365.000 people have been affected by the flood happened for a month. The situation is predicted to be worse in the future because there is no indication that rain will stop nowadays. A 5.7 RS earthquake shake Taiwan, Thursday (9/8), no casualties reported. A short storm and torrential rain in New York has flooded the area and paralyzing transportation system in the city. Another storm and torrential rain happened Thursday (9/8) in China and Philippine, killed one person and evacuating hundreds of thousand people. Tens people were reported to be dead or missing in India and Bangladesh due to a big flood. Wednesday (1/8). India and Bangladesh government giving their best effort to distribute food and medicine aid in order to minimize the number of victims. Also caused by flood, North Korea is reported to plead for international assistance. The flood has killed hundreds of people, damaging plenty of houses and buildings.
