Heritage Emergency Response

Damaged Heritage Rapid Assessment
Heritage Buildings in Padang and Pariaman
10-15 OCTOBER 2009

On Wednesday September 30, 2009, an earthquake of 7.9 Richter scale rocked West Sumatra. Most of the casualty found in Padang (the capital of West Sumatra with a population of 750,000) and Pariaman. There is no final information yet about the death toll, but some source said that the earthquake took 1100 lives.

BNPB or the Indonesian National Board for Emergency Response on Disaster is responsible for the coordination of post disaster aid and recovery but they mostly focus on medical aid, emergency shelter and basic needs. Saving the heritage is out of their priority. Fortunately a lot of heritage activists have taken quick action, particularly starting with rapid assessment.

The Indonesian Heritage Trust together with Prince Claus Fund for Cultural Emergency Response, supported by volunteers from Bung Hatta University, Gadjah Mada University, Jogja Heritage Society, Aceh Heritage Community, Pusaka, and Association of Indonesian Architects-IAI West Sumatera established a Damaged Heritage Rapid Assessment Team, They have coordination with the BP3 (The Archaeological Heritage Preservation Office). The other supports received from Bank Indonesia of Padang Branch, INTO (International National Trust Organisation) and other individual heritage figures.

In a relatively short time they have surveyed 244 heritage buildings. Out of the 244 surveyed heritage buildings they found that 119 buildings are badly damaged, 68 buildings are medium damaged, 41 buildings are lightly damaged, and 16 are in safe condition. There is a great risk that the damaged buildings will be soon rehabilitated into new modern buildings despite their heritage values.

The earthquake damaged not only the buildings, but also the invaluable contents in the buildings. In Adityawarman museum a collection of 300 ceramics from the Ming and Ching period were destroyed. In the West Sumatra Library and Archive tens of thousands of books are damaged. Only 5% of the collection can be saved. Archive and other invaluable items were lost.

Early recovery planning and design for heritage conservation need to be prepared soon before the buildings are reconstructed carelessly disregarding heritage conservation principles. Coordination with the local government and the Emergency Team of the National Board for Disaster (BNPB) is urgently required to discuss guidelines for rehabilitation in line with heritage conservation.

Heritage Emergency Response for West Sumatra supported by: