ONOLIMBU MEDICAL SITUATION REPORT - APRIL 13-15

Weighing anchor at daybreak on 4/13, the KM Batavia left Gunung Sitoli and headed for the Onolimbu area on Nias’ SW coast. Arriving just offshore from the village of Tagaule, we could see houses submerged in the water. It appeared that the land in this area had susided (as opposed to the area on the southwestern coast of Simelue, where coral reefs now bake above water in the hot sun). Damage here looked much worse than what we have seen elsewhere. When we took the motorboat to shore, our initial impressions were confirmed. The villagers spoke of the day the earthquake shook their village: “the earth cracked everywhere and water came up out of it, swallowing our village.” The foundations of many of the houses were several meters below the surface of the water, with only rooftops visible. Others flooded with every rise in the tide.



The two villages closest to the sea are Muslim while those further inland are Christian. The mosque in the village of Tagaule had collapsed, and it was a strange sight to see the ruins surrounded by wooden fishing boats and crabs crawling around its perimeter. The Kepala Desa (Village Chief) told us that the bridges in the area were down, so that they were only able to access the larger towns to get supplies and food by walking for 8km through the swamps. They had received some tents and a few supplies by helicopter, but were in great need of food, tools and other aid.



Buckets were filled to be used as family kits (utensils, soap, towels, pots, candles, etc) and we also distributed woks, lamps, kerosene, boots, tarpaulins, nails, wheelbarrows, and other tools. Meanwhile, our medical team set out on foot (in our knee-high boots) to hold a clinic. Carrying our supplies and equipment over 1 km on a muddy trail cracked in some areas from the fault and submerged in other areas, we finally arrived at a schoolhouse in the village of Botohainga. This would be our medical clinic and school for the next two days. The team consisted of OBI, Northwest Medical Team, Mirta Peduli, and ELM doctors and nurses. The villagers here had a wide variety of problems, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), wounds sustained during the earthquake, burns, and other more chronic conditions such as malaria, severe tophaceous gout and elephantiasis. One patient had such severe PTSD that he was practically catatonic. He was alert with a normal neurological exam, but would not utter a sound, stared straight ahead, and held his body in a rigid position. Several patients with infected wounds required debridement.

A total of 380 patients were examined and treated. One patient had severe 3rd degree burns covering the backs of both legs which he had sustained several years previously. The scar tissue was so extensive that it restricted his ability to walk. He had a large open wound on the back of his right knee where the strictures gave way as he straightened his leg. We arranged to transport this patient to Gunung Sitoli by motorbike in the hopes that the USS Mercy will be able to perform a skin graft to the back of his knees enabling him to lead a more normal life.

While the medical team was busy seeing patients and the distribution crew was giving out supplies, Julie and Evika set up class under a tent in the schoolyard. Refugee families had set up tents in the schoolyard and the classrooms had sustained some damage during the earthquake, so that school had not been in session since the most recent tragedy. Julie taught some English and had the children draw. Later, the sound of children singing filled the air. It was a joy to hear happiness in their voices once more. The next day, to our complete surprise, the classrooms had been cleaned and the children had returned in their uniforms. Classes were back in session!