THE ORARI-ARES TEAMS RESPONDED TO THE DISASTERS IN SUMATRA REGION
BREAKING NEWS 4-12-2005
THE ORARI-ARES OF WEST SUMATRA PROVINCE RESPONDED TO THE EARTHQUAKE LOCATED IN TALANG VOLCANO
The ORARI (Organization of Amateur Radio for Indonesia) 5th District/West Sumatra Province executed the highest level of alert (Siaga-1) following the earthquake occurred at 03:05 local time Tuesday morning 4-12-2005 located in Talang volcano near Solok city, West Sumatra. Zuhrizal Oyong, YB5BO, who is a coordinator of the ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) and a chief of the technical and operational unit of the ORARI's 5th District of West Sumatra Province reported from the capital city of Padang.
Some local sources believed that April 10 6.8 magnitude undersea quake located near Siberut island, Mentawai islands region, triggered the active volcano. No significant casualty reported from the area yet. West Sumatra has several active volcanoes include Merapi and Singgalang near Bukittinggi city, Talang near Solok city, Tandikat near Pariaman city and Kerinci in southeastern region bordering with Jambi Province.
Oyong said that all ORARI-ARES volunteers in the cities of Padang, Solok, Padang Panjang, Sawah Lunto, Pariaman, Bukittinggi, Payakumbuh, Batusangkar and Muaro, have been on standby alert mode since Tuesday morning. While the ARES's mobile units of Padang executed and coordinated by Oyong including Erwin Kahar, YC5FVE, Catrine M., YC5JYA, Husni Thamrin, YD5JAU, Mufidhi Surya, YD5DSF, Erwin Nazar, YD5JTP, and Syarif, YD5JYX, have been under operation mode since their prompt response to April 10 undersea quake in Mentawai region. They have been patrolling Padang and its vicinity. In addition, Edrizal, YD5DFB, has also been under standby alert at his location in Labuan Bajau village, Sikabaluan, upper Siberut island.
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 casualty 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 attack 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) South 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 generating 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 station. 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.
W.Purwinto, AB2QV.
DX Emergency Support
Syracuse, New York.
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