On October 30th, a devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Padang, followed by another large earthquake the next day. Over 1,000 people died and over 200,000 were made homeless. In an effort to contribute to the Government of Indonesia's assessment of the impact, the new Australia Facility for Disaster Reduction has drawn on its scientific skills and partnerships to undertake a field assessment of the damaged buildings with the Institute of Technology Bandung and Geoscience Australia.

The Australia-Indonesia Facility for Disaster Reduction was jointly announced by the Australian Prime Minister and the Indonesian President in late 2008. It reflects Indonesia and Australia's concern over the growing impact of disasters in Indonesia and the region. Indonesia is one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. The high frequency of natural hazards combined with big population centres creates a very high risk of natural disasters. In particular, the risk of earthquake, volcanic eruption and tsunami is higher than for many other countries in Asia and indeed the world. The recent Padang earthquake is a tragic reminder of this high risk.

The Facility is located in Jakarta and brings together Australian and Indonesian scientists in an effort to better understand disaster risks in Indonesia. This scientific information is then used to support training and planning exercises for national and provincial disaster managers. The outcomes are also shared with the region through partnerships with APEC, ASEAN and the United Nations. In this way, the Facility will build Indonesian and regional capacities to better manage the risk of natural disasters.

The Facility's Padang damage assessment, undertaken with Institute of Technology Bandung and Geoscience Australia, will contribute to the Government of Indonesia's Post-Disaster Needs Assessment. This will provide information on how the communities of Padang can be supported to heal, recover and grow.