surfaid 24 Sep 2007No Comments 151 views Print Email

  Green, surf

Fourth SurfAid Emergency Aid Boat Heads Into The Mentawai
As the region continues to be rattled by aftershocks, SurfAid International dispatched its fourth emergency aid boat, the Wijaya, from Padang to the Mentawai Islands this evening. It joins the Budyadahri, the D’bora, and the Melaleuca, which are still in the field.

The Wijaya, normally a surf charter boat, will arrive in Tuapejat, the regional capital of the Mentawai Islands, tomorrow morning (Tuesday 25 September) with a load of 300 building kits, 300 shelter kits, and 300 hygiene packs.

The boat will pick up SurfAid International (SAI) staff at Tuapejat and then more SAI staff at Muara Siberut.

The team, who are trained in emergency medical assessment, will then distribute the aid to villages along both the west and east coasts of Siberut Island.

SurfAid has assembled six teams of emergency aid workers from its Mentawai field staff, who normally work on SurfAid’s Malaria Free Mentawai, Community-Based Health Program and Emergency Preparedness programs.

We are also working with staff from the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and Medecins Sans Frontieres, Belgium (Doctors Without Borders).

Two more SurfAid-chartered boats, the Mikumba and the Indies Trader I, are due to leave Padang for the Mentawais tomorrow.

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SurfAid Emergency Preparedness Assistant Manager, Joseph Viandrito reports that the SurfAid field office in Tuapejat is now operating as the information bureau and we are working closely with the Mentawai Government.

In Siberut Selatan, Senior Community Facilitator for E-Prep, Wawan Budianto, reports that SurfAid has provided initial assistance of Promina milk, soap and sardines for Katurai and Taileleu villages, and other NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) have delivered food and medical care in the region, as well as assessing the needs of the communities.

Pagai Utara and Selatan
SurfAid staff is distributing 1,484 units of basic building and shelter kits and 1,000 units of hygiene kits to six villages (more than 40 sub-villages) across the two southern Mentawai islands of Pagai Utara (North) and Pagai Selatan (South), which were severely damaged by the earthquakes.
We are also running health clinics, in partnership with the local Mentawai Health Department, on both islands.
Medecins Sans Frontieres Belgium has provided medical assistance to villages along the east coast of Pagai Utara (North).

Local Government Reports The Following Death/Injury Toll and Damage (data to be verified):

Sipora Island
Serious damage to landing jetties (2), offices (8), government-owned staff houses (6), primary schools (13); junior high schools (3); senior high schools (3), houses (542), churches (21), mosques (7), roads (3), State Electricity Company (1), fish market (1), and bridges (6).

Siberut Selatan (South)
Serious damage to landing jetties (2), offices (11), health clinics (4), government-owned staff houses (19), houses (263), bridges (2), primary schools (8), junior high schools (1), senior high schools (1), mosques (4), roads (6), and bridges (6).


Pagai Utara (North) and Pagai Selatan (South)
Deaths: 3 people
Injuries: 591 people
Displaced persons: 24,255 people
Serious damage to houses (1,298), offices (23), primary schools (20), junior high schools (3), senior high schools (2), roads (1), bridges (6), and health clinics (4)

All data has been submitted by the local government heads of the villages and hamlets and needs to be verified.

- Kirk Willcox

SurfAid International Communications Director (in Padang, West Sumatra)

All images courtesy of SurfAid International