ISLAND-AID UPDATES + NEWS: September 2007

Monday, September 24

Aid Deliveries - Mentawai

Island Aid's Aceh and Nias partners, Operation Blessings International were one of the first NGOs to arrive in Padang with substantial supplies. Obor Berkat Indonesia (their local chapter) mobilized a convoy of trucks from Medan and Jakarta to impacted areas in Bengkulu Privince and to Padang. After liason with MMTA volunteers, a cargo boat was arranged and loading and clearance expedited in Muara port.

22 tons of aid and we managed to get the boat out at 11pm on the 19th of September bound for Sikakap/Malakopa/Silabu/Betumonga area.

Aid includes 7.5tons of rice, 50 tarps, tikas, medical kits, 1,500 family packets (sugar/coffee/soap/candles/sardines/sambal/matches/torch)

OB also have a medical team in the area and more on the way. MAF are flying to Rokot airport after failing to land at the old airstrip at Sikakap (overgrown and unusable at this time)

MMTA / Island Aid Loading list - Beriloga Ferry yesterday (20th Sept) - Destination Sikakap

- 250 x 5 person tents courtesy of MEDCO
- 300 mattresses
- 20 large 20 person tents
- 150 tikas (mats)

One large truck with 2,500 cartons of noodles (40 meals per carton) arrived from MEDCO today. Waiting loading
We are expecting another delivery of 1,000 tents from MEDCO.

The 6.7 quake yesterday has made everyone in Padang very nervous. It was not the biggest but it was the closest so far to Padang and the shaking was severe.

Damage to buildings in Padang is far more widespread than is obvious from the street. Many buildings are definitely in a dangerous state with shear walls fractured and indications of subsidence. In many cases modern multi story buildings have suffered more than older 2-3 story buildings. Large glass areas or shuttered open shop fronts at street level result in almost no cross bracing on the street elevation and so all loads are concentrated on the back walls. That is where most of the damage is found and it cant be seen from the street.

Buildings that are oriented with long axis to aligned with the coast seem to have been damaged worse than those aligned perpendicular to the coast.

More images of damage to other towns:

Tua Pajet

Betumonga

Sikakap

Wednesday, September 19

Field reports > Mentawai operations.

Yannick,

Like you we are frustrated by the lack of good maps. The Govt have them but we can not access them from Padang. Bear with us while we sort this out.

MMTA/Island Aid are working with FORMA manning the new POSKO in Muara harbor, Padang

We have a free phone for anyone to use courtesy of TELKOM.

Last night Island Aid's main Aceh partner, Obor Berkat loaded 22 tons of aid and we managed to get the boat out at 11pm bound for Sikakap/Malakopa/Silabu/Betumonga area.

Aid includes 7.5tons of rice, 50 tarps, tikas, medical kits, 1,500 family packets (sugar/coffee/soap/candles/sardines/sambal/matches/torch)

OB also have a medical team in the area and more on the way. MAF are flying to Rokot airport after failing to land at the old airstrip at Sikakap (overgrown and unusable at this time)

Malakopa is sometimes named Malakopak but most of your names are correct. We need a map!

Thanks for your patience and help.

Rick

On 19 Sep, 2007, at 5:57 AM, Cathay Seas travel consulting wrote:

Dear all,

Please find enclosed the latest Field reports, website updated as well : www.CathaySeas.com/rescue.htm

I cannot engage Cathay Seas in mapping the operations, by lack of a reliable 'base map' and absolutely 0 feedback regarding the accuracy of our previous m1 Overview map .
[United Nations Cartographic Section : any idea to cover the Mentawai archipelago at 1:50000 ?]

There's an interesting challenge here : how to achieve a reference document without information to achieve it ? I can work on the subject, but i guess it can't help to display the operations in real time. Too bad.

Keep the news coming, i am optimistic by nature and don't despair to solve the problem impromptu.

-Yannick.

*****************************************************************
Yannick, editor of www.CathaySeas.com
Cathay Seas :
China & South East Asia surfers.
****************************************************************

------ Original Meassage ------
From Cathay Seas
Tuesday, 19 september 10:00pm GMT

Padang is the logistics hub for aid delivery by boat.
Island Aid, Mentawai Marine Tousim Association (MMTA), Surf Aid International (+UNICEF +UN OHCA).
INDIES TRADER 1 ship awaiting to upload, among others (ships names ?).
Padang > Siberut = 10 to 12 hours trip.

500 basic tool kits + 500 basic shelter kits arrived in Sikakap from Padang (Surf Aid).
Distribution with local fishing boats + 01 surf charter ship (BLUE FIN or SURF CAT) planned
19 september in Silabu, Betumonga, Maigiruk, Tumale and Gogoa.

Regular ferry D'BORA leaving Padang 19 sept. evening (local time) to Tuapejat then Sikakap :
load of 500 basic tools and 500 basic shelter kits, "possibly hygiene kits".
D'BORA will deliver cargo to 3 villages/day between Malakopap - Surat Aban (end 26 sept. ?).

Surf Aid ship MELALEUCA leaving Padang 21 sept. evening (unconfirmed) towards Sinaka
then east coast through Makalo and back to Sikakap.

------ Original Meassage ------
From Cathay Seas
Tuesday, 18 september 09:30am GMT

Latest quake : 18 sept. 08:41am GMT : M5,7 @ 32km deep.
Send a message to <bigquake-subscribe@eqinfo.wr.usgs.gov>
to receive free e-mail *after* each earthquake above magnitude 5.5, worldwide.
This DOES NOT imply or deny human emergency, this is NOT tsunami warning.

Current needs : food, baby food, shelters, drinking water, reconstruction materials.
Most damage south and west coast Mentawai, few injuries, less 50 casualties.
Strong west winds and heavy rain.
Several ships of Surf Aid International docked in Padang, waiting to upload cargo (money, money, money).

*** Please confirm villages' location (which is where on which island ?) to update base map ***

SIBERUT ISLAND :
-Maguiruk (70 families) : 10% population evacuated thought no damage or injuries. Church damaged.

South Siberut :
-No news from Taileleu (05 dusuns including Kirit, Baddan and Maonai) : medic. staff onway from South Siberut
with supplies.

SIPURA :
-Tuapejat : distribution of 180 mosquito nets.
From Tuapejat, ditributing medications, food, tarpaulins to displaced population.
-Pukarakyat (57 homes) : 20% houses down, population in the hills "using banana leaves as shelters".
-Berimanua (60 houses) : 75% houses down.
-Katurai village (05 hamlets) -???-
-Hamlets of Katiet, Sao and Mongan Bosua are all empty as people have fled to the hills.
-No damage to the Quiksilver SurfAid Community Health Training Centre.

NORTH PAGAI (Pagai Utara) :
- Sikakap : PosKo (government Command Post), 120 houses destroyed.
First ship loaded with emergency supplies (Surf Aid) from Padang : ETA Tuesday morning, 18 September.
-Betumonga (90 families) : 80 % of homes uninhabitable, 14 houses down. Primary school down "including
chairs and tables".
- Silabu (Macas) over 50% of homes damaged beyond repair or submerged due to subsidance.
Surf Aid team on site with supplies.

SOUTH PAGAI (Pagai Selatan) :
- Malakopak (Thunders and Rags surf breaks) report 100% of homes unusable. 300+ families displaced.
-Tiop and Sarausau dusuns (hamlets) evacuated to higher ground behind the villages, population afraid to return home.
- Sinaka (Hole and Lighthouses) 6 homes remain useable.
- Seai Lama (50 families) : light damage but population afraid to go back inside. 12 mosquito nets could be
distributed only, no tarpaulins, tents nor food.
FOOD SUPPLIES DEPLETED.

-----Original Message-----
From: Cathay Seas
Sent: Friday 14 september 2007 08:00pm GMT

PERMANENT TSUNAMI ALERT recomended.

Siberut, Sipura, Pagai Utara, Pagai Selatan in need of assessment on the west coasts.
Next days strong NW winds : all ships / light shelters beware.

(read also below for a complete picture)

IDEP Foundation from north Bengkulu :
- provide temporary shelters to 500 homeless families in the districts of Lias + Air Sebakul, north of Bengkulu.
5.500 houses are reported damaged in the area, lightly or severly. 123 houses are down.
- set up public kitchens for 3 daily meals x 2.000 people.(6.000 meals /day)
- provide 5.000 liters of drinking water by truck to distant communities, 3 times a day. (15.000 liters /day)
- attend 100 wells for direct use by the locals.

UHF frequencies in use between teams.

-----Original Message-----
From: Cathay Seas
Sent: September 13, 2007 10:00pm GMT

Cathay Seas suggest to be on PERMANENT TSUNAMI ALERT until risk is really reduced.
Watch for quick receding sea on shores, roaring sound, strong earth shakes.

Coastal populations moved inland and to altitude from Padang to Bengkulu.
High rate of road accidents due to heavy traffic of stressed people.
On any single place, maximum 30% damage reported so far (damage = unsafe for living) .

NIAS & north : no damage
SIBERUT : East coast light damage, heavy damages in Sikakap due to tsunami (height ?).
WEST COAST NO CONTACT
(MENTAWAI) : Tua Pajet city + Sipura 30% hard buildings unsafe, wood structures OK.
Several tourism / surf resorts damaged on masonry but no injuries or major destruction.
PAGAI isl. : 03 meters tsunami. NO CONTACT from south coast
BENGKULU : high damage but out of reach from our core area of reach. 09 killed, 40 injured so far.

PADANG :
BMC hospital unsafe, evacuated. Patients outside in streets. 6 died by lack of medic care.
Padang Arau (Sumatran Surfariis headquarters) has walls cracked but still fine.
Bumi Minang hotel fractured, unsafe.
Pangaran Beach hotel OK.
Rocky plaza hotel doubtful.
Plaza Ramayana closed until destruction.
Plaza Andalas unsafe.

Fuel availability OK.
Water OK.
Some shops open.
Electric power OK but shuts down after every little shake (fire risk).
Port operational.

Helicopter of Heli Doc grounded because no administrative flight authorization.

[check also the Directory on www.CathaySeas.com]

Saturday, September 15

Quakes Rock Indonesia; Experts Warn of 'Big One'

September 14, 2007
AP

PADANG, Indonesia (AP) — A series of powerful earthquakes has terrorized residents in western Indonesia — including another one that triggered a fresh tsunami warning Friday — leaving thousands sleeping on plastic in the hills and each new aftershock triggering a fresh round of panic.

Seismologists warn the worst may be yet to come.

Photo: A motorist passes a damaged road along the coastal area of Ketahuan, Indonesia's Bengkulu province, Friday. Indonesia's meteorology agency issued a tsunami warning on Friday after another strong earthquake struck southern Sumatra island. (By Crack Palinggi, Reuters)

Kerry Sieh, from the California Institute of Technology, has spent decades studying the volatile fault line. He is one of several experts predicting a repeat of the massive earthquake that triggered the 2004 Asian tsunami, which killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen Indian Ocean nations.

"No one can say whether it will be in 30 seconds or 30 years," he said. "But what happened the other day, I think is quite possibly a sequence of smaller earthquakes leading up to the bigger one."

An 8.4-magnitude quake that shook Southeast Asia on Wednesday was followed by dozens of strong aftershocks — including one measuring magnitude 7.8 and another 7.1 — that killed 13 people, damaged hundreds of houses and spawned a 10-foot-high wave.

A 6.4-magnitude temblor hit the area again on Friday, triggering the latest in a string of tsunami warnings that have further traumatized people living in coastal communities. Hundreds fled inland by foot, motorcycle and truck before the alert was lifted.

The wall of water that slammed into several fishing villages along Sumatra island's coast Wednesday swept away nearly a dozen houses, but overall damage was "minimal," Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said after an Air Force aerial survey.

Photo: An Indonesian woman weeps outside her house that was destroyed by an earthquake on Sumatra island, Indonesia, Friday. (By Dita Alangkara, AP)

A nine-member U.N. assessment team reached the same conclusion after visiting the area, saying that a major international relief operation was not required, John Holmes, the U.N.'s emergency relief coordinator, said in a statement from New York.

Many people said a public awareness campaign launched after the 2004 tsunami paid off, including warnings issued over mosque speakers and training provided by local officials on how to escape a disaster.

"When the earth started shaking, some people yelled, 'It's time to go up the hill ... let's get going," said Fadil, 35, a father of two, describing how he and hundreds of neighbors watched from above as the 10-foot wave approached. Hundreds of houses were damaged, but no one died.

Elsewhere, however, electricity blackouts prevented some sirens from going off.

The three massive quakes — together with the 9.0-magnitude temblor in 2004 and a 8.7 tremor in early 2005 — deeply concerns experts.

The fault, which runs the length of the west coast of Sumatra about 125 miles offshore, is the meeting point of the Eurasian and Pacific tectonic plates, which have been pushing against each other for millions of years, causing huge stresses to build up.

"There is a strong indication this foreshadows the big one," said Danny Hillman, an earthquake specialist at the Indonesian Institute of Science. "We all agree there is an 8.5 or stronger earthquake waiting to happen."

That's exactly what residents along Sumatra's western coast, which is expected to bear the brunt of the next disaster, are worried about. The island was hardest hit by the 2004 tsunami, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the deaths.

In the tiny fishing village of Sungai Pisang, just south of the badly damaged city of Padang, hundreds of people were too scared to return home after the recent tremors sent a large wave washing into their bay.

At a camp pitched on a muddy hillside cemetery, they have been sleeping atop plastic sheets or on the cold ground between graves. A small generator powers a light bulb, hung over branches in the thick tropical undergrowth, but there is little else.

"I am very afraid of another tsunami," said Dasima, a 50-year-old rice farmer who fled with her 7-year-old grandson, Rolin. "We only cook our rice in the town and then return here to eat and sleep. We will stay here until we feel it is safe."

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, with a population of 235 million people, is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-09-14-indonesia-quake_N.htm

Current Indonesian Shakers

Mag. 5.0 Sept. 14 06:01:34 -4.108 101.220 35.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA

Mag. 6.4 Sept. 14 06:01:34 -4.108 101.220 35.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA

Mag. 5.4 Sept. 14 04:03:44 -2.179 100.088 29.3 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.2 Sept. 14 03:07:14 -3.010 101.083 39.2 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 4.8 Sept. 14 02:34:51 -0.466 98.141 21.5 KEPULAUAN BATU
Mag. 5.0 Sept. 14 01:31:57 -3.757 100.759 27.5 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.5 Sept. 14 01:02:06 -3.696 101.845 35.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 5.3 Sept. 13 23:12:31 -3.108 100.971 35.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.0 Sept. 13 18:30:38 -2.565 99.763 35.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.5 Sept. 13 16:59:26 -2.118 99.978 35.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 6.2 Sept. 13 16:09:09 -3.247 101.439 3.3 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 5.6 Sept. 13 15:08:54 -4.354 101.212 24.5 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 5.0 Sept. 13 18:30:38 -2.565 99.763 35.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.5 Sept. 13 16:59:26 -2.118 99.978 35.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 6.2 Sept. 13 16:09:09 -3.247 101.439 3.3 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 5.1 Sept. 13 13:43:58 -2.998 100.215 35.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.6 Sept. 13 13:10:15 -2.786 100.863 28.7 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.2 Sept. 13 12:12:59 -3.691 100.694 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.0 Sept. 13 11:57:17 -2.034 99.434 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 6.2 Sept. 13 09:48:43 3.794 126.411 21.9 KEPULAUAN TALAUD
Mag. 5.4 Sept. 13 09:21:35 -2.164 99.748 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 4.8 Sept. 13 08:01:56 -2.773 100.292 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.2 Sept. 13 06:32:48 -2.072 99.405 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.0 Sept. 13 06:28:51 -2.029 99.383 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.1 Sept. 13 05:53:23 -3.979 100.553 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 4.9 Sept. 13 05:48:44 -3.988 100.511 24.5 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.0 Sept. 13 05:44:14 -3.735 100.706 2.8 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.5 Sept. 13 05:23:24 -1.686 99.717 38.9 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.2 Sept. 13 04:06:10 -1.723 99.567 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 7.0 Sept. 13 03:35:26 -2.160 99.581 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.5 Sept. 13 02:51:31 -2.049 99.790 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.9 Sept. 13 02:30:01 -1.639 99.697 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.0 Sept. 13 01:55:44 -3.869 101.629 10.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 5.2 Sept. 13 01:49:04 -2.331 99.404 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.2 Sept. 13 01:38:05 -1.902 99.734 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.8 Sept. 13 01:26:33 -2.039 99.730 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 7.9 Sept. 12 23:49:04 -2.506 100.906 30.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.1 Sept. 12 23:19:44 -4.082 100.907 10.0 SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA
Mag. 5.4 Sept. 12 22:17:17 -2.897 100.757 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.1 Sept. 12 22:02:23 -4.609 101.280 10.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 5.3 Sept. 12 17:04:33 -7.598 126.085 307.3 KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA
Mag. 5.9 Sept. 12 16:37:01 -3.142 101.377 21.2 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 5.2 Sept. 12 15:35:08 -4.262 101.008 35.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 6.0 Sept. 12 14:40:02 -3.227 101.361 18.8 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 4.9 Sept. 12 14:04:57 -4.239 101.196 35.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 5.3 Sept. 12 13:17:17 -3.308 100.654 32.8 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 5.6 Sept. 12 13:02:07 -2.946 101.352 35.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA
Mag. 5.2 Sept. 12 12:21:44 -2.667 100.318 10.0 KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI Reg.
Mag. 8.4 Sept. 12 11:10:26 -4.521 101.370 30.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Maps/region/Australia_eqs.php

Thursday, September 13

Quakes Intensify and Move Into Mentawai Islands

After the 8.4 (revised from 7.9) quake yesterday evening our area has experienced 16 strong earthquakes. The most recent struck at 10.31am and registered 7.1 on the central west coast of Sipura. Five of the quakes have exceeded 7.1 and at least two have triggered tsunamis.

The quakes started in the Bengkulu/Enganno area 250 nm south of Padang and they have progressively moved north west.

Bengkulu suffered severe damage to buildings and at latest count the number killed stands at 9 persons.

Several buildings in Padang have collapsed killing one person. A large mall was severely damaged and partially burned due to electrical shorts resulting from last nights quake. Many buildings have been severely cracked and are not considered safe. Most of the coastal population have evacuated their homes and have moved to high ground.

Most domestic and international airlines have suspended flights to Padang. SMA have suspended flights to Mentawai until the condition of the Rokot airstrip can be assessed. Mandala are operating limited flights.

There is still no news from large sections of the west coast between Padang and Bengkulu. The south end of Pagai Island will have taken the full force of the tsunami and there are no reports from that area.

Sikapap in Pagai was damaged by a 3 m tsunami that has destroyed homes and shops along the waterfront. Food supplies have been lost and help has been requested by boat.

Charter boat operators have moved to anchor in deep water. Most have now reported that their boats are safe but some passengers had lucky escapes.

While there have not been any fatalities in the islands to date, communities are traumatized and many have lost homes, boats and businesses near the coast. Most fear returning to the coast and families are living on hill tops or slopes. Tarps are urgently needed for temporary shelter.

Donations will be used to purchase family buckets, tarps, building material and to mobilize boats to help in the area.

Wednesday, September 12

Padang Shaken - Some Structural Damage - Tsunami Warning Issued

A major quake has caused serious damage to homes near the coast around Bengkulu about 200nm south of the Mentawai Islands.

Padang buildings have suffered mild to severe physical damage. The population are on high alert and expecting after shocks. At least two buildings have collapsed and one person has been killed.

We have had reports of buildings collapsing in Bengkulu and people along the coast have evacuated to high ground.

Island Aid are attempting to contact family and friends in the coastal city to lean more about the damage.

Magnitude 7.9

Date-Time