THE ORARI-ARES TEAMS RESPONDED TO THE DISASTERS IN SUMATRA REGION
BREAKING NEWS 4-11-2005
THE ORARI-ARES OF WEST SUMATRA PROVINCE STANDBY ALERT AND MONITOR
Zuhrizal Oyong, YB5BO, who is an advance amateur class operator from West Sumatra Province, reported that following the 6.8 magnitude undersea quake located near Mentawai islands that strongly shook the region the ORARI-ARES of District 5/West Sumatra Province began standby at 04:00 local time on Monday 4-11-2005. Later since Monday morning several zulu stations of the ORARI local or city offices have also been on alert and standby monitor mode.
On Monday afternoon, Oyong updated his report that since Monday morning an ARES mobile unit coordinated by Husni Thamrin, YD5JAU, and Surya, YD5DSF, from ARES of Padang capital city, has been patrolling along west coast of Padang. Their operation has been monitored by YC5CH, The chief of ORARI District 5/West Sumatra Province, and YB5BA, the chief of ORARI Padang office. The mobile unit did not find any casulaty yet.
Meanwhile, from Labuan Bajau village, near Sikabaluan town, north side of Siberut island - Mentawai region, Erizal, YD5DFB, reported through ARES's emergency VHF frequency at 15:05 local time that so far there was no casualty found in North Siberut, Sipora island and other smaller islands in the region. Whereas, in South Siberut island a high school building was 40% damaged. Yet no human casualty found. Farther observation in Mentawai islands is still undergoing.
On Monday night, Oyong updated his report again. He said that there were three people have died in west of West Sumatra Province. One person has died after he got buried under sliding soil in Ngarai Sianok near Bukittinggi city. Two persons have died in Padang. When earthquake occurred one of the two was panic and got traffic accident before he died. Another one got a heart attact and then died. The ORARI-ARES volunteers of District 5/West Sumatra Province have still been on alert and standingby monitor until this Tuesday morning. The ORARI-ARES mobile unit of Padang is still patrolling along the beach side of Padang city.
BACKGROUND:
A magnitude 6.8 undersea quake in Mentawai islands region has occurred at: 1.62S 99.56E Depth 30km Sun Apr 10 10:29:13 2005 UTC Time. Or Time Near Epicenter Sun Apr 10 17:29:13 2005. Location with respect to nearby city: 110 km (70 miles) Sout West of Padang, the capitol city of West Sumatra Province, Indonesia. This quake has rocked Mentawai islands and West Sumatra Province. People in Padang felt very strong tremor. Since then many undersea quakes - at least ten quakes above 5.0 magnitude - occurred near by the 6.8 magnitude quake until Monday morning 4-11-2005. It has been reported that there was a few of smaller magnitude undersea quakes occurred near Mentawai islands until Tuesday early morning. Mentawai islands are located 225 km (200 miles) southeast of Nias island or 770 km (700 miles) southeast of Banda Aceh.
A week after Banyak island earthquake that destroyed Nias island, or a week before Mentawai islands earthquakes it was several earthquakes occurred near Batu island. Batu islands are located between Nias island and Mentawai islands. Moreover, before and after December 26 9.0 magnitude undersea quake genereting a massive tsunami, Andaman islands and Nicobar islands in Burma microplate experienced quakes everyday. It is proven that Sunda/Java Trench - a line started from Burma microplate to southeastern regions off west coast of Sumatra island - become an unstable earth fracture.
Since day one after Indian Ocean tsunami, the Indonesian Amateur Radio Emergency Services has been under alert and standby mode. Many domestic and international radio emergency volunteers have already been deployed and assisted Aceh Province and North Sumatra Province, to provide a vital radio communication to replace any conventional communication that has been damaged by the tsunami and undersea quakes.
A Ham Used The Satellite-Based Internet System In Nias Island.
After several days waiting in Banda Aceh for the U.N. flight heading for Nias, on Friday 05-08-2005, Earl Campbell, N8TV/YB6ZEC, has finally arrived and joined the ORARI-ARES's YB6ZAH command post in Gunung Sitoli, Nias island. Campbell who is a ham from New Mexico State and an International Red Cross volunteer used to join the post-tsunami relief effort in Banda Aceh.
From YB6ZAH station he successfully launched his first email to W. Purwinto, AB2QV, in New York State. It was the first satellite-based internet connection ever launched by a ham volunteer in Nias island since 8.7 magnitude under water earthquake severely damaged the infrastructure and some parts of the island. Campbell used his notebook PC connected wireless to the Internet through the hot spot provided by the Air Putih IT team - Imron, Okta and Rudi - based in Banda Aceh. The team, who deployed by their operating chief Anjar remained in Banda Aceh, has installed the V-Sat satellite-based internet system located in the Pendopo local government building. The IT team's station is located about 20 yards away from the ORARI-ARES command post's YB6ZAH zulu sation. Campbell has spent the last three months with this wonderful IT team in Banda Aceh.
Since then he is capable to provide Internet communication world-wide to support the hamradio emergency activities in the island and its surrounding islands. The pictures of Campbell and Herman Rangkuti, YC6IQ, who is an ORARI-ARES member from Medan and an operator of YB6ZAH zulu station, taken digitally by Campbell are available at http://www.qsl.net/ab2qv/nias.htm.
Two days before Campbell arrived in Nias, Mark Wolf, N7YMW/YB6ZMW, arrived with USNS Mercy and USNS Niagara Falls anchored off shore Nias. Wolf paid a visit to YB6ZAH zulu station to meet its operator, Rangkuti. The three hams, Rangkuti, Campbell and Wolf, will always coordinate and support each other up to provide radio communication smoothly for the emergency services conducted by hams and non-hams in the region. They have contacted and will often contact other zulu stations for information and report exchange. What a nice cooperation among them in time of emergency.
Earthquake And Tsunami Hit Tabuyung Village, Madina Regency, North Sumatra Province.
Ady Susanto, YB6VK, who is a hamradio operator from North Sumatra Province, reported that the Indonesian Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ORARI-ARES) of District 6/Northern Sumatra received a late emergency call from Madina (Mandailing Natal) Regency, North Sumatra Province. [Many coffee drinkers in the world always remember Sumatra Mandailing coffee]. The ORARI-ARES deployed its member Syawaluddin Lubis, YC6ROD, to the disaster area to setup YB6ZAL zulu (emergency) station on 4-6-2005 using battery power - after learned that there was no electricity and public communication available in the remote area.
Since 4-6-2005 Lubis has been collecting the data of the casualties. On Thursday 4-7-2005 at 20:30 local time Lubis was just able to report from YB6ZAL station to the ORARI-ARES command post in Medan and other zulu stations through 145.260MHz VHF linked repeater in Northern Sumatra. Lubis reported that according to some local refugees their coastal village - Tabuyung, Batang Gadis Sub-District, Madina Regency, North Sumatra Province - swept by 18 feet (6 meters) high sea water that travelled about 50 miles per hour on Tuesday 3-29-2005 early morning following the earthquake. This tsunami was generated by 8.7 magnitude under water quake occurred on 3-28-2005 at 23:00 local time and located near Banyak islands that is between Nias island and Simeulue island off west coast of Sumatra island. This quake has also destroyed large parts of Nias island and its surrounding islands.
Lubis said that as a result of both the earthquake and the tsunami one villager has died, 411 families lost their houses, 30 families experienced severely damaged houses, and 71 families still have their houses undamaged. Moreover, 632 family refugees have been living in the tents on the Kennam company's property located about 4 miles away from Tabuyung village. The ORARI-ARES command post contacted the authorities and several disaster aid relief task forces in the region to save the survivors and recover the village.
W.Purwinto, AB2QV.
DX Emergency Support
Syracuse, New York.
www.qsl.net/ab2qv/nias.htm
www.qsl.net/ab2qv/tsunami.htm
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