6th October 2009
Padang is situated at the west of Sumatra with a population of about 900 000. Since 1822 there had been 14 strong earth quakes in Padang.. Earth quakes move recorded to have occurred in 1922, 1835, 1861, 1904 (with tsunami), 1926, 1943, 1977, 1991, 2004(twice), 2005, 2009 (twice) On the 30th September 2009 at 5.10pm an earthquake at 7.6 Ritcher scale occurred in Padang.
I went with a Malaysian humanitarian NGO , Malaysia Relief agency or MRA.. We arrived via AirAsia flight on the 2nd October 2009. We were greeted by the local Indonesian NGO , Yayasan Dakwah Indonesia. The team consisted of a O&G specialist , two intensive care nurses and a humanitarian worker . We collaborated with the Indonesian Red Crescent Society on the medical relief work. We had worked closely with the Malaysian Majlis Keselamatan Negara and the medical team from Kuala Lumpur Hospital for the overall relief work in Padang.
At the time of writing, it was reported that there were 451 death, 240 badly injured and 2350 with light injuries. These figures will rise drastically once the chaos and panic settles and more organised works are in place. From what I see of the destruction in Padang I believe the number will be much more.
In front at the Cordinatioon centre or ‘Posko’ where we stayed, the evacuation team from Switzerland evacuated 4 bodies from a collapsed building at Jalan Proklamansi. Nearby there was a 4 storey building which now has only 2 upper floors visible. Two lower floors had collapsed and sunk in. We were told by locals there during the few hours after the earthquake ,they could still hear cries of help by the collage students. The voices became faint and was not heard during the night. Parents and relative were helpless to remove the tonnes at masonry. They could be only cry and pray. We were told as least 60 students were in the building. There were no survivors.
The Padang city had no electricity. Water and petrol were rationed. The locals sleep outside their damaged houses in fear of aftershocks and that their houses may collapse. Many ran to the high land in fear of Tsunami. Communication was difficult because there was no electricity to charge the handphone and the land phone lines were down.
Our focus was to gather information, assessed ground situation and cordinated the relief work. We quickly gathered that the immediate work were to provide medical relief work and medical supplies. The next focus was to provide food supplies to the severely affected areas especially in the rural areas , namely in Pariaman.
Below were the activities in brief:
1. We visited :
1) Rumah Sakit M Jamil , the main hospital in Padang which was severely damaged.
2) Rumah Sakit Ibnu Sina
3) Hospital Daerah Kota Padang
4) Pukesmas Pedusanan di Periaman Padang
2) We had established a cordinating center (Posko) in Jalan Proklamasi in city center . Electricity generated by mobile generator and water were available there. The Posko has two small warehouses and a fridge to store medicines that needs cold storage. We also had a rented a MPV with driver / guide.
3) Red Crescent Society of Indonesia
Work in Pukesmas Pedusunan in Periaman 1.5 hours drive away from Padang . We ran clinics in the rural areas and ran mobile clinics. Surgical debridments and application of external fixators were conducted in the field hospitals.
4) Hospital Daerah Kota Padang
The 60 bedded hospital was 30 minutes drive from city centers. We helped to supply aneasthetic medication and antibiotics. Below are the other supplies required:
Anaesthesia drugs + spinal needle.
Orthopaedic Implants
Sterile gowns
mask / gloves
I.V antibiotic
autoclave machines
Portable xray machine
Sutures
antiemetic and analgesic
The long term or rather intermediate term projects were:
1. Building of temporary house costing RM 1500.00 each. We plan to build 100 houses.
2, Providing temporary schools consisting of large tents and other education equipments costing RM 6000 each.
Malaysian orthopaedic members will continue to volunteer their services via several Malaysian humanitarian relief NGOs for the work in Padang. We are grateful to be able to serve.
End.
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Collapsed and Flattened building in city centre Padang - 4 bodies evacuated |
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With patient in district hospital Kota padang -
fracture femur |
Linguistic institute of America - college where
students were trapped |
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Food Supply to villages in north of Periaman, Padang |
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Salvaging their belongings |
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MRA Team with Indonesian Medical team in Padang |
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MRA Staff nurse with young woman with broken leg. Neighbour 's wall collapsed on her |
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MRA working with HKL medical team in Padang |
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Villages in Jungle area |
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Working with Indonnesia Red Crescent Society in Padang |
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Clinics in Village in Pariaman area
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