This mission report describes the Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) conducted by an expert deployed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation through the UN Environment/OCHA Joint Unit following an earthquake in Indonesia.

In May 2006, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale occurred in Yogyakarta Province on the Indonesian island of Java. More than 5,100 people died in the earthquake, with approximately 8,500 to 20,000 injured. An estimated 60,000 houses were either destroyed or damaged, leaving close to 200,000 people homeless.

An environmental expert, deployed with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), carried out a rapid environmental assessment through the JEU. No acute life-threatening environmental issues were identified. Assessment results were shared with relevant agencies by the JEU. A loss and damage assessment led by Bappenas (the National Development Planning Agency of Indonesia) also included waste management and other environmental recovery issues.

Consult the mission report here.