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]