Latest update from Surf Aid on Mentawai Tsunami 11/11/2010

SurfAid Reaches Mentawai  Villages with Supplies Despite  Worst Weather in Years Mentawai Tsunami Situation Report #6 SurfAid is managing to get emergency aid supplies into the villages most-affected  by the tsunami despite the worst weather and sea conditions in the Mentawai Islands in years. The surf charter boats, which are carrying supplies and assessment teams, have been battling  30 knot winds and wild, 3 - 4 metre (10 - 12 foot seas). An aid boat was helping a local in his motorised sampan when they lost him in the bad weather.  Luckily SurfAid staff on board the Indies Trader IV saw him in the ocean and brought him on board. SurfAid’s Mentawai Program Manager, Tom Plummer, filed this report from the field. You can post this clip on your website. CLICK HERE for embed code SurfAid’s Stacey Howe said the Indies Trader fought its way through fierce wind and rain  to reach the hamlets of Limu and Limosau, on South Pagai island. “As we approached Limu, the waves were crashing us into boulders that appeared above the water.  The community greeted us with smiles and looks of relief, and children gathered along the shore  with their bright, smiling faces. We introduced ourselves to the village and, after telling them that  we had aid supplies, the men in the community gathered on the beach,” Howe said. “With the storms this week, it has been difficult for us to carry the shelter, building, hygiene and  cooking kits, and food, from the tin boat to the shore in the wild sea conditions. The Huey surf charter boat battles through 3 - 4 metre (10 - 12 foot) seas. SurfAid's  Tom Plummer said the bow was buried six times with green water coming over the windscreen.  Photo. Sped “But this village of 33 households stood against the storm, formed a line and emptied the tin boat.  Even children participated with smiles remaining on their faces as they saw all the goodies that they were receiving. “Then we made our way to Limosau and the Indies Trader crew even managed to catch a giant  trevally that was given to the community,” she said. As the storms intensified, their hopes of reaching Maonai, one of the worst affected villages,  were dashed. “We had to rethink our strategy and put the safety of our team first,” Howe said.  The team made it into Maonai with emergency supplies yesterday (Thursday). The crew of Indies Trader IV caught a giant trevally for families in Limosau while enroute to  delivering them aid. Photo: Howe/SurfAid CLICK HERE to download hi-res photo SurfAid CEO Andrew Judge sincerely thanked all the people who have supported our Tsunami  Appeal so far but he said that much more funding was needed. “We have budgeted to spend $2.86 million in the Mentawai after the tsunami and we need to  raise nearly one-quarter of this through our public appeal.” Judge said. “SurfAid has been able to act quickly and effectively due to our local knowledge and rapid  support from the New Zealand Government, private and corporate support, including Billabong  and Quiksilver, and AusAID.” Children in Limu village helped carry the emergency supplies from the SurfAid tin boat.  Photo: Howe/SurfAid CLICK HERE to download hi-res “The New Zealand Government funded our operations through the extreme weather in the past  four days and the Australian Government has just announced another $1.1 million in assistance to the people of the Mentawai through SurfAid.” The Mentawai is a very difficult place to work because of the difficulty of getting to remote  communities across exposed coasts and coral reefs. The islands lie 150km (90 miles) off the  coast of West Sumatra. “The huge storms have increased the challenge and the scale of the task is almost impossible  to communicate,” Judge said. “SurfAid is working closely with the surf charter boats, local volunteers,  the Indonesian Government and other NGOs (Non Government Organisations).” “We are making every effort to get assessment information on the affected communities to facilitate  the response. We have also been able to deliver large amounts of shelter, food and hygiene materials  to the affected people to help them get through the next few weeks as the rain buckets down.” Displaced villagers in Eruparaboat camp. Salvaged wooden slats separate families from the mud.  Families are traumatised by the tsunami and fear another one. Photo: Howe/SurfAid CLICK HERE  to download hi-res You can donate via our website - surfaidinternational.org From Australia you can also call 1 800 257 957

latest report from Darryl on the Bintang surf charter boat

6am 4-5ft glassy and going off . Perfect right now

Thanks for getting me out of the Mentawais Tsunami safe.......

Hey Gina!!

Hey I really appreciate all the stuff you guys at Perfect Wave did for us. I think we forgot what you guys were doing behind the scenes for us working late, calling our families and embassys as well as taking care of hotels, accom, transport, etc etc. We would have been properly F%&ked if yas werent there for us.

Thanks heaps!!!!!
Richard

Mentawai Tsunami Situation Report #5

Mentawai Tsunami Situation Report #5

A massive storm has moved into the Mentawai region making tsunami relief work even more difficult - and life more miserable for the local villagers who are living in makeshift shelters.

The storm is forecast to last up to four days and is creating hazardous ocean conditions - for both the 150-kilometre crossing from Padang and access to the isolated villages.

The latest report from the government command post in Sikakap, the main town in the Southern Mentawai, says that 23,087 people are now either displaced from their homes or affected by the tsunami.

The death toll from the earthquake and tsunami is now more than 400 and it is rising with more than 300 people missing. A further 270 people are seriously injured.

Today SurfAid’s Emergency Response team in Padang made the decision to hire the largest boat in the Mentawai fleet, the Indies Trader IV, so that we can continue operations in the worsening ocean conditions.

SurfAid founder Dr Dave Jenkins said that the New Zealand Government has agreed to fund both the boat and the emergency supplies on board. And Indies Trader owner Martin Daly has donated the Indies Trader III to the relief operation.

Weather-permitting, both boats are due to leave Padang tonight. The Indies Trader III will head to Sipora Island and the villages of Gobik and Bosua, near the surf break Bintangs. Both villages were severely hit by the tsunami, which was reported there as being six metres (20 feet) high. The villages lie at the bottom of the island, directly in the path of raging tsunami which struck in the darkness of Monday night at about 10pm - 20 minutes after the 7.7 magnitude undersea earthquake.

The Indies Trader IV will travel to the east coast of North Pagai and the southwest and southeastern tip of South Pagai where SurfAid teams will deliver emergency supplies to villages. On board are 2000 large tarpaulins, 3000 mosquito nets, 1000 hygiene kits, 1000 building kits, 1 tonne of rice, 24,000 packets of noodles, and medical supplies. The boat will pick up SurfAid staff from Sikakap, including medical teams.

SurfAid founder Dr Dave Jenkins said today the organisation continues to escalate its response to the tsunami despite appalling and worsening conditions.

“The extremely isolated villages are surrounded by coral reefs with large Indian Ocean swells continuously washing over them. Behind the small villages is dense tropical jungle with no roads and no phones,” Dr Jenkins said.

“Yesterday our staff continued to deliver thousands of tarpaulins and other much needed materials in driving rain. We are spending US$50,000 a day and we will need well over $1.5 million dollars to complete this first phase mission.

“I am so proud of our staff and their round-the-clock commitment. The risks they are taking inspire all of us on.”
CLICK HERE for more detailed SurfAid Tsunami Response activities.

You can donate via our website - www.surfaidinternational.org

From Australia you can also call 1 800 257 957

Update - Perfect Wave Guests from Midas & Macaronis

We are happy to say that all the guests we have on the MV Midas are now in Jakarta getting new passports issued to get them home. We hope to have them home with their families by the weekend.

The guests that were staying at Macaronis Resort will be arriving back into Padang first thing this morning. Once they arrive, we will be taking some for medical assistance while others will be taken to a safe house for hot showers and food. They will all be taken to get new clothes and essentials before flying out to Jakarta later today. The Australian embassy in Jakarta is ready for their arrival to re-issue passports and get them on the next flights home.

The pictures we are seeing now on TV and online of the destruction of Macaronis Resort and Silabu, say how lucky these guys are to be alive. 

With the death toll rising our thoughts and prayers go out to the local people of Pagai and especially Silabu Village that has been nearly wiped out.

Please assist in helping by donating what you can to Surf Aid International.

Jamie Gray

Update - Mentawai Earthquake

Well after an extremely busy and anxious day yesterday, we are happy to say we have been in contact with all our guests in the Mentawai, and all are on their way back to Padang as I write this.

The group from the Gold Coast that were on the Midas, are on their way back to Padang onboard the Freedom 3. Apart from a few minor burns, cuts and grazes everybody is OK and looking forward to getting home and seeing their family & friends. Everybody is looking forward to having these guys back in Padang, to safety, telling their own tales of survival.

The guests we had at Macaronis have also had a pretty traumatic experience after spending the night and day at the local village of Silabu. Silabu was hit pretty badly by the Tsunami and 15 guests from Macaronis were stuck here for many hours, before being picked up by Tengirri and taken to Sikakap for transfer back to Padang. I am sure we are going to hear some pretty incredible tales from these guys on their return.

The Australian consulate in Jakarta are sending a representative to assist in getting new passports and organizing their journey home. The Perfect Wave team will be assisting in ensuring this is done as fast and efficiently as possible with as little pain as possible for the surfers and their families.

We here at The Perfect Wave would like to thank everybody involved in assisting with the evacuation of all our clients. A lot of people that didn't have to assist in helping out, did at the cost to their own guests trips and on behalf of our clients and their families, we would like to say thank you. A special thanks goes out to Rick Hallet for his quick thinking in saving lives onboard the Midas. Tom Plummer & Joey of the D'Bora for saving our Midas guests from a night in the jungle and assisting with the evacuation. Freedom 3 for assisting in bringing the Midas guests back to Padang, Phil from the Tengirri for traveling from Katiet to pick up all the Macaronis guests in Silabu. Martin Daly for all his assistance in organizing the evacuation of the Macaronis guests and anybody else that has given their time and resources to assist in what has been a testing time.

With all western travelers being looked after, we must now point our attention to the local people and their villages. Surf Aid is already mounting a relief effort to assist with the local communities and we surfers need to pitch in. The Perfect Wave Travel Co is contributing a donation straight away and will work on an appeal to generate more donations through its friends and clients. Please dig deep surfers as we are very happy to enjoy the Mentawai waves & hospitality, so we should be happy to help the local people out in their time of need.

To show your support, please go to - www.surfaidinternational.org 

Thank you 

Jamie Gray

Official Statement - Sumatra Earthquake & Tsunami

This morning at approx 2am EST a magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit the Sumatran coastline in Indonesia.  The Perfect Wave have 32 clients in the area at the time and the first priority of TPW team this morning was to ensure that all these clients were safe and well.

The Earthquake created a 3 meter high tsunami which washed through Macaronis Bay where Midas and Freedom were parked. Midas was hit by Freedom and caught on fire and all guests jumped overboard. 9 Midas guests and 5 crew were washed into the jungle and took more than an hour to find their way back to the beach, where they were picked up by another boat we represent, D'Bora. D'Bora picked up our Midas guests who are all safe apart from suffering some smoke inhalation and minor scratches. Joey Melroy, surfguide on D'Bora said that there was a lot of debris floating in the water including bar stools and other pieces of furniture from Macaronis Resort. No news on the state of the village at Silabu. Everyone onboard both boats are OK and we will be bringing them home over night on the Freedom. We are working with Dept of Foreign Affairs to organize replacement passports for the groups as well as organize flights home asap.

We had 6 clients at Macaronis Resort and we have just received word from Joey on the D'Bora about their safety. "D'Bora went from harbour at Sikakap back to check on Maccas Resort. Resort all but gone. Guests and staff all safe and accounted for. All in village. Big SW storm just blew up. D"Bora heading back to Sikakap and will do assessments of village in the channel". We have also been working with Dept of Foreign Affairs to organize replacement passports for the groups as well as organize flights home asap.

The other 17 guests we have in the area are on the MV Addiction and Nusantara and all were in different areas of the Island chain. Some felt the effects of the earthquake and others had no idea that there was even an earthquake until we spoke to them. These guests will be continuing their charters and assisting local villages were possible.

As we hear any more news or updates on the situation over in the Mentawai, we will release this via our Blog or Facebook pages.

We here at TPW will continue to work tirelessly until all our clients are safe and sound at home with their love ones.

Thank You

Jamie Gray 

Managing Director