SE Asia Quake/Tsunami:
Surfing related updates from South East Asia/Indian Ocean Tsunami
How can I help ??
www.surfaidinternational.org
Disaster relief/aid organisations
Surfing a Tsunami:
Is it possible? Not really, here's the why
Indian Ocean Earthquake Gallery:
Photos of rapidly approaching tsunami waves
Indian Ocean Earthquake: extensivel information*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake
http://www.globalsecurity.org Indian Ocean Tsunami References
Latest reports:-
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 26 January 2005 - - Reports coming in with respect to how the catastrophy has and has not effected surfers, surf spots, surf camps, surf charter operators, and surfing destinations are listed below. The sad loss of human life and suffering of biblical proportions, has up until now not included any surfers' deaths that we know of. There have been some close shaves however.
The following is a brief resume of some of the information received (latest postings at top);-
Santa Cruz, Ca.;- The plan for a coffin made of old surfboards is off.On Jan. 2, Herrick Morgan, 38, crossed the border out of Thailand into a neighboring country — probably Cambodia, his friends say.Lisa D. Smith received the news from a U.S. Consulate representative who called her Wednesday morning."He’s alive, he’s alive, he’s alive," Smith said.Since hearing of the Dec. 26 tsunami, Smith and several of Morgan’s other friends have been waiting for word that the Santa Cruz surfer and custom tile worker had not been among the estimated 5,300 who perished on the island of Phuket. The friends detailed their concerns in a Sentinel story Wednesday. "The good die young and that sort of leaves him out," said longtime friend Michael Corcoran.Corcoran, a carpenter, said he’d have fashioned Morgan’s box from materials recycled from surfboards. Now he doesn’t have to trouble himself. Read the full report at Santacruzsentinel.com
Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka;- The decision to travel was made and by Christmas Adam and Liz were in Hikkaduwa. They arrived in late December and didn't take long before they were both enjoying the waves. Come Boxing Day the couple had become quite familiar with the local breaks and Adam, being a seasoned surfer, decided that he would paddle out to one of the reefs off Hikkaduwa beach to sample the waves there. Liz decided, on account of her inexperience, to surf the shore break.
Adam was surfing about six or seven hundred metres off-shore, when the first Tsunami rolled in, but he didn't really notice it, the only indication that anything was wrong was the fact that the wave had 'closed-out' on what would otherwise have been a 'clean-break.' Adam duck-dived the wave and waited for the next set, but the surf had all but disappeared. The water had became so deep over the reef that the waves were no longer breaking, instead the water started to surge and pummel the coast line, destroying all structures that had previously stood there.
Adam witnessed this swell hitting the beach and his first thoughts turned to Liz, who had been surfing on the shore break. He began to paddle back to shore, but the landscape had changed quite dramatically since he had paddled out and the only landmarks he could immediately recognise were the tops of palm trees, and indication that there was still land below. By the time Adam had paddled about halfway back to shore the water had already started to recede, a reef, which he had been surfing on earlier was now dry and he began to scurry across it back to shore. Read the full report at ABC.net
Huntington Beach, Ca.;- The Quiksilver Foundation has already generated results from its recently seeded Nias Fund, which has benefited international relief organization SurfAid's efforts in Indonesia's tsunami-struck region. With Quiksilver Foundation support, The SurfAid medical team is running clinics in multiple geographical locations to increase their efficiency and reach. Currently, the team is traveling by boat headed north up the coast of western Nias. This will service villages impacted by the tsunami and assess and treat villages with small populations that are hard to access and where it is believed no medical attention has been given to date.
The Indies Trader II, sister ship to the Quiksilver Crossing's Indies Trader, has been utilized as a mobile headquarters for the effort with independent communications system and water purification capabilities. Under the direction of Indies Trader Company Principal and Skipper Martin Daly, it has transported SurfAid workers to needy communities around the country, where they have supplied detailed condition assessments, delivered aid, distributed supplies and provided urgent medical care. Stationed in mobile clinics with units for triage and treatment, immunizations and malaria control and education, the SurfAid medical technicians have made it a priority to treat each patient with respect, care and a high level of western medicine. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Ocean City, Maryland;- The Maryland District of the Eastern Surfing Association is joining an international tsunami relief effort by hosting the Frozen Surf Open benefit surfing contest and the K-Coast On-line Raffle. With water temperatures in the 30's to low 40's and air temps below freezing, surfers will compete for points and prizes while they raise money to aid tsunami victims. This first ever mid-winter event for the Maryland District will be held during a "good-surf" waiting period of February 5-27, on a "good surf" weekend between the Ocean City inlet jetty and pier. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Simeulue Sumatra;- One more big day for the SSRO crew. We began early by visiting yet another village located on the banks of a river deep within Alafan Bay on the remote northern coast of Simeulue Island. Many villages throughout this region are constructed next to the fresh waters flowing from the hills, and while they are quite near the coast they are often not actually visible from ships offshore. This has lead to many severely-damaged villages being overlooked in early inspections all over the region. These watersheds are only scarcely above sea level and the tsunami's hydraulic forces had no difficulty surging kilometers inland up rivers and streams wreaking havoc along the way. And just like in all the villages visited to date we saw more people whose possessions had all been swept away, leaving them without means to obtain food, or cook it if they did. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Banda Ache, Indonesia;- The global death toll from the Asian tsunami shot above 226,000 on Wednesday after Indonesia's Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of tens of thousands of people previously listed as missing. The ministry raised the country's death toll to 166,320. It had previously given a figure of 95,450 while Indonesia's Ministry of Social Affairs had put the death toll at around 115,000 before it stopped counting. Dodi Indrasanto, a director at the health ministry's department of health affairs, said the new death total reflected the latest reports from the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, which were directly in the path of the killer tsunami. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Banda Ache, Indonesia;- A massive world outpouring of aid to tsunami-stricken Aceh province in northern Indonesia had relief agencies tripping over each other in the rush to reach survivors but also helped stave off a larger disaster. United Nations figures show at least 100 "non-governmental organisations," or NGOs, flooded into Aceh following the Dec. 26 wave that killed at least 115,000 people in Indonesia and left a half-million more homeless. The number of NGOs is so large that aid workers talk about the region being "overaided" and say it contributed to early coordination problems in getting emergency relief out. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Simeulue Sumatra;- Dawn found the Mikumba still plying the waters of Alafan Bay in the northernmost point of Simeulue Island where it was ascertained the most immediate aid was needed. After identifying two different villages inaccessible by a ship the size of Mikumba, we procured two smaller fishing boats and launched one mission in the morning that lasted until late in the afternoon. We made landfall at a village of 200 people, all of whom were waiting on the beach for us waving their hands and thanking us before we even landed. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Simeulue Sumatra;- Dawn found the Mikumba dropping anchor in the bay at the northernmost SImeulue point, scant miles from the earthquake's epicenter. Evidence of the monster waves that swept through the villages here were seen wherever one looked. Uninhabited offshore islands were swept clean. On shore, 40-foot palms held household items in their fronds like a laundry-line from hell. The main village was completely leveled. The rivermouth reshaped, made much wider, choked with debris and sand. A boat thrown high into the jungle canopy behind, its cabin windows winking reflections in the distance. We were met on the beach by hundreds of villagers in a desperate state, and it was there we fashioned a crude refugee camp for the over 2000 souls who ring this big azure bay. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Torquay, Victoria;- Australian-founded surf industry leader Quiksilver is proud to announce continued and ongoing support for victims of the tsunami crisis. Through the newly established Quiksilver Foundation, Quiksilver immediately pledged AUD$630,000 to assist those affected in the region. The Foundation also established the Nias Fund - an initiative named after the famous surfing area in West Indonesia designed to specifically focus the efforts of the global surf community. Sustained fundraising efforts and on-location assistance continue to take place. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Nias, Indonesia;- After forty-eight hours out of sight of land in the voyage from Padang, the Mikumba and her fellow convoy ship Asia dropped anchor in Gunung Sitoli Harbor, East Nias. Nothing had prepared us for the chaos that reigned on the dock as our envoy stepped ashore. The main hub of aid materiel delivery from the mainland, Gunung Sitoli had the distinct feeling of a pirate town under martial law. Boats jammed the small piers jockeying for space as ferries loaded themselves with more refugees hoping to find more safety across the channel on the bruised mainland of southern Aceh province.
We were also met with horrific stories of damage and loss of life in the remote villages of northern Nias. Taking action, we attempted to thread our way through the local politics. It soon became apparent that in addition to the aid actually getting through, a thriving black market system was in place with agents of all sorts attempting to take advantage of the confusion and vying to take control of any and all aid materials. Refusing to turn the Asia's precious ten tons of materials over immediately proved perilous indeed and as midnight approached, tensions were high. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Sydney, Australia;- Australians held prayer services, concerts and surfing ceremonies to remember the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster that killed more than 163,000 people. Flags across Australia and New Zealand flew at half mast and both nations paused for a minute's silence at 00.59 British time, the exact time on December 26 when an undersea earthquake unleashed the massive disaster. Prime Minister John Howard led Australia's day of mourning, attending an Anglican church service in Sydney and later heading to a Hindu ceremony to reflect on the devastation that struck Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and the Maldives. Fifteen Australians have been confirmed dead in the tsunami-hit areas, with 18 missing and more than 200 travelling in the affected countries still unaccounted for. Six New Zealanders were killed, and at least one is missing. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Australia;- Surf guides said some Australians surfing in Indonesia could have been swept out to sea during the tsunami, and may yet to be reported missing by their family. While most areas of Indonesia are in the surf "off-season" because of the wind driven direction of the waves, the Aceh coastline is still popular for wave enthusiasts. "If you go to Banda Aceh around the south it's mountainous with little bays and beaches and surfers know that," owner of Mentawai Nisata Bahari (or Mentawai Ocean Tours) Rick Cameron said. "It's the off-season here (in West Sumatra) but it's surfing season up there (in Aceh)." Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Nias, Indonesia;- A very sad report came in last night from SurfAid field communications officer, Jude Barrand, who is on the ground with the international medical relief team on Nias Island. Jude and the medical team yesterday spoke to survivors from Sisowahilly village, which is inland from Sirombu, on the west coast of Nias. The village, with a population of about 360 people, was totally wiped out by the tsunami and 90 people, a quarter of the population, were killed. "According to one of the survivors, most of the victims were killed while sheltering in the church". Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Nias and Hinako Islands;- Yesterday SurfAid's mobile medical clinic traveled to the villages of Sirombu and Mandrehe in Nias, which was badly devastated by the tsunami on December 26th. A three station clinic was set up to deal with clinical cases, immunizations, worms and vitamin A treatments. SurfAid doctors and nurses immunized 97 children between the ages of six months and fourteen years old, all of whom were also treated for worms and given vitamin A. An additional 102 people were examined and many were treated for a variety of acute and chronic illnesses, such as diarrhea, chest infections, skin infections, goiter, fever and respiratory tract infections. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Sunset Beach, Haw;- With the recent disaster in the Indonesian region of the surfing world, HPAC (Hawaiian Pro-Am Circuit) along with the huge support of surf company Wave Riding Vehicles have come up with the concept of surfing and fellowship on the north shore of Oahu in a fund raiser to help in the aid of financial support for the victims of the tsunami disaster. As many surfers travel to the region during the peak season, the devastation is in great need of support and we call on all true surfers of Hawaii to step forward in helping in the relief effort. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
SurfAid, San Francisco;- Since the earthquake, Surf Aid International has received six-figure contributions from Quiksilver and Billabong, a $300,000US (225,000EUR) pledge from the New Zealand government, a $70,000 donation of medical supplies from Direct Relief International, and thousands of smaller amounts from surfers worldwide. "The surfing community is really stepping up to the plate," said Paul Riehle, a San Francisco surfer and member of the group's U.S. board of directors. "They were already on the ground. They know these cultures, the shamanistic cultures and Muslim cultures, and are sensitive to them in terms of bringing aid. And we're using the surf charter industry over there, because the only way to get to these islands is by boat." Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Banda Ache, Indonesia;- An official document posted here says nearly 210,000 people in Indonesia are dead or missing from the Dec. 26 tsunami, a death toll that appears to be far higher than officials have reported publicly. Rescue workers think even that number might be low. The larger Indonesia toll would bring the total of dead and missing from the tidal surge across the Indian Ocean to nearly 272,000, ranking the tsunami as the fifth or sixth deadliest natural disaster in more than 300 years. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Padang, Sumatra;- On 6 Jan 05, a number of communications specialists and surf media representatives from the US departed for Sumatra expecting to assist in the documentation on the SurfAid relief efforts and dissemination of the images and accounts. Included in the group were Bill Sharp, Matt George, Dustin Humphry and Timmy Turner, along with Australian surf journalist David Sparkes. Vessel capacity issues prevented the media representatives from being accommodated on the two SurfAid vessels although they were invited to charter the surf charter ship Mikumba at their own expense.
At this point a decision was made by a number of individuals that the situation would be best served if their skills were put to use organizing additional response capabilities to additional afflicted areas. At that time they formed a response team which they named the "Sumatra Surfzone Relief Operation" (SSRO). Working directly with IDEP the SSRO went to work preparing a response plan that would provide humanitarian aid to people living in the islands. Over the course of the following 4 days, a plan of action was drawn up and implemented. The current draft of the Sumatra Surfzone Relief Operation action plan: Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Padang, Sumatra;- Well, there’s a lot to tell. I’ll start up in the Banyaks as I think the website has covered until then. We surveyed the north side of Tuangku Island, located at the northwestern end of the Banyak chain, and the most likely affected area of the 99 islands in this chain. We found a couple of fisherman on Jan 7th that we welcomed onboard the ASIA for the ride thru the shallow beautiful waters of this area. Their village’s name is Haloban. It is the biggest village in that area, and because it is quite protected and tucked away behind a couple of smaller islands, up to 50 villagers from smaller islands traveled there after the tsunami.
On Haloban we were given a guided tour by the kepala desa (village head) and saw the impact firsthand. Brick sea break walls had been knocked down, whole houses were actually moved 20 feet from where they originally stood (now standing on new land at new angles), and plenty of clean up still needs to be done. Small fishing boats and canoes had been thrown around; one had been smashed into two pieces. However, compared to Sirombu and neighboring villages in that area of Nias, there were no major injuries to villagers, no deaths, and no immediate need to drop all we had in supplies here.
The biggest need was to make sure food and supplies continued arriving to them as boats were not yet going from Singkil to Balai (Banyaks capital), and hence there was no distribution from Balai to all of the surrounding islands. We dropped off rice and noodles and headed for Balai. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Sumatra Surfaris
Nantucket, USA;- The tsunami has done more than decimate hard core surfers, whether caught ashore, or facing their last wave on the Andaman Sea. From Unahatuna on Sri Lanka, to Indonesia's Nias Pipe, it transformed the seabed itself. Like an iceberg, most of the seismic sea wave's mass and momentum lay far below the water line.
Thousands of underwater acres that were once a day-glow marine Disneyland have become a skeletal moonscape that will take generations for life to re-colonize and regenerate. But long before scuba divers or snorkelers can see anything below the waterline but cause for weeping, surfers will flock to exult in the destruction.
Scores of offshore breaks once potentially lethal to those who wipe out onto hard coral have become a new and unexplored surfer's paradise. Inshore, dozens of coves once only of interest to body surfers with a strong death wish have been shorn of scimitar thickets of staghorn -- turned into sand-bottomed wave machines.
Nature never takes away without giving. To those whose livelihood depended on the reefs until the Sunday before the New Year, the terrible beauty their metamorphosis holds for the next generation of surfers may be a gift from the cruel sea. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Tech Central Station
Los Angeles, Ca.;- Not so long ago, the coasts of Sri Lanka and Indonesia attracted more than aid and relief workers. Surfers the world over made the trek to catch the perfect wave on the Indian Ocean. That bond is being reinforced to help victims of remote villages washed away by last month's tsunami.
Southern California surfer Keith Malloy is among those digging deep into their knee-length shorts. He organized a fund-raiser last week that brought in 14-thousand dollars for the relief effort. One group, SurfAid International, has taken in more than 500-thousand dollars -- with more expected to come in from a trade show this weekend. In Malloy's words "It kind of hit home for us."
Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at WSTM
Guraidhoo, Maldives;- Amongst the mayhem across the Indian Ocean, the Maldives, miraculously, seems to have been spared the disastrous effects seen in neighbouring Sri Lanka and India. There were about 70+ casualties in the Maldives and extensive damage to many of the locals and tourist islands. There was no damage on Fihalhohi, the resort island.
Guraidhoo, normally inhabited by about 1380 local people, is one of the worst affected islands with all but one building affected by the tsunami. About 300 people are still there, with the rest having fled to Male'. Morale on the island is very depressed, with many people despairing, having lost all their belongings and hope for the future. There's no fresh water, no functionning sanitation or desalination equipment, just rainwater collected in canisters. So people can easily get infected.
Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Newropeans Magazine
Koh Phi Phi;- Boatloads of volunteer divers descended into the azure waters of the Andaman Sea to clear away the tsunami debris littering Thailand's famed coral reefs. The killer waves flung everything from people to televisions to plastic chairs into the pristine waters, including those around the paradise island of Koh Phi Phi, made famous by cult backpacker movie The Beach. However, marine experts said overall damage was not as bad as initially feared and that Mother Nature's own clean-up process had already kicked into action.
"There was a lot of sand on the reef, but the current has moved a lot of the sediment away, so we can see that much of the coral is still alive," said Niphon Phangsuwan of the Marine Biological Centre on Sunday in Phuket, 50 km to the north. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Stuff.co.nz
San Diego, Calif;- Doug Murphy was best friends and surfing buddies with David Sammann for the past 35 years. Even though Sammann, a Monte Vista High grad, had moved to Hawaii in the '80s and then to Thailand four years ago, they stayed in close touch. They surfed in Bali and Java in 2002 and 2003. This past fall, Murphy visited Sammann (once married to surfing legend Skip Frye's daughter, Lauren) in the village of Khao Lak north of Phuket. That's where Sammann had relocated with his wife, Ooy, and their daughter, May.
When Murphy, a San Diego lawyer, spoke with his buddy on Christmas Day, Sammann said he was excited about sharing the holiday with his daughter, now 5. He was nearly finished building their new home on the beach and he had bought a plot of land nearby on which he planned to build a restaurant. The next day, Sammann disappeared in the tsunami. His wife, who was visiting in Palm Springs at the time, immediately left for Thailand and has been searching for her husband's body ever since. Their daughter was safe at the couple's inland home when the tsunami hit. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Sign On San Diego
Adelaide, Australia;- A South Australian man believed missing after the tsunami disaster has been found safe and well. Surfer Sam Green – who was in such a remote area that news of the catastrophe hadn't even reached him – was found by his brother Ben on the Mentawai Islands off the coast of Sumatra.His mother informed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade today."She said she had spoken to Sam by phone and he told her he was safe," Mr Downer said in a statement."She added that, because he was isolated from the outside world, he had been unaware of the tsunami. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Daily Telegraph
USA / France;- A pair of satellites over the Indian Ocean just after the massive Sumatran earthquake on 26 December captured the only measurements of the tsunamis' height in deep water. The images, will be released within days, and will help improve future forecasts of the deadly waves. The satellites saw the first two wavefronts produced by the main quake, spaced 500 to 800 kilometres apart. These reached a maximum height of 50 centimetres in the open ocean. By comparison, wind-driven waves typically reach 10 metres. However, these waves only involve water close to the ocean surface and are separated by at most several hundred metres. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Newquay, England;- The British surfing community is to come together in an unprecedented fashion to provide relief to victims of the Asian tsunami disaster. Tsunami Surf Relief UK brings together the BSA, BPSA, Christian Surfers and members of Newquay’s business community to raise awareness of how surfers can help those affected in the areas they or their friends have visited. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
United States of America;- Water depths in parts of the Straits of Malacca, one of the world's busiest shipping channels off the coast of Sumatra, reached about 4,000 feet before last month's tsunami. Now, reports are coming in of just 100 feet - too dangerous for shipping, if proved true. Thousands of navigational aides, such as buoys held in place by mushroom-shaped anchors, were carried off to new locations by 50-foot to 100-foot waves. Old shipwrecks marked on charts have been relocated, joined by new wrecks that will have to be salvaged, moved or charted. But there might be a silver lining in the devastation. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Noosa, Queensland;- Ken Lucas, Paddleboarder, Surfer, and Round the World Sailor, will paddle from Moffat Beach Caloundra to Noosa Heads and up the river to the Lions Park (Queensland) to where a concert and auction will be held. The concert/Auction is being organised by Peter Van Hammond. Named the Sunshine Aid Fund Raiser for the Tsunami victims.. Ken will collect his donations under the banner of Paddle For Peace as a registored non profit organisation, all the funds collected will go to Save The Children Fund of the Tsunami..... Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
San Diego, Calif;- Reef and Californian surf artist Robb Havassy have teamed up to offer Robb’s poster “Olas” in an effort to raise funds for Surf Aid, a grassroots organization actively helping the victims of the recent Tsunami. The poster is available on www.reef.com. Donations are needed to sustain the effort, and to supply medical equipment, food and water. To help raise money, the “olas” poster will be available on www.reef.com for $20, and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to Surf Aid. A limited amount of signed posters will be offered at $100. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Santa Cruz, Calif;- Concerned members of the Santa Cruz surfing community will be hosting a benefit showing of Thomas Campbell's recent surf movie "Sprout" on Thursday, February 3, 7:30pm at The Rio Theater 1207 Soquel Ave.(at Seabright) Santa Cruz. There will also be a HUGE raffle and surfboard auction. Please join us in helping to raise money and express our concern for the survivors of this tragedy. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Laguna Beach, Calif;- The entire action sports industry is mobilizing a massive fundraiser for the tsunami victims as they converge at ASR in San Diego, January 14-16th. Giving back through SurfAid International, a non-profit organization that is already established with doctors and boats in the region and currently engaging in relief efforts, the entire campaign is expected to raise significant funds for the cause.
ASR, in conjunction with Board Retailer Association (BRA), Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA), International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) and SurfAid International, will raise funds by selling black tsunami relief wristbands stating "Band Together" at $5 each. The bands will be available at ASR to all retailers, manufacturers and industry affiliates in the surf, skate, swim, and snow markets throughout the San Diego Convention Center. With over 20,000 industry professionals attending the 3-day show, organizers expect the action sports community to rise to the occasion supporting SurfAid International's current efforts in Southeast Asia. One hundred percent of the funds will be utilized to support SurfAid's efforts. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Bundoran, Ireland;- Mark Richards, Masters Winning Surfboard (Bundoran Masters 2001), his unique Super Twin, goes up for Auction today in Aid of the Asian Disaster Appeal..... This is the very board that won his World Title at Bundoran at the Masters in 2001! Pictured on the front page of the Irish Times after his glorious Victory.. a copy of the front page goes with it!....bidding starts today Sunday 9th January 2005 (email michael@isasurf.ie or phone 086 8531558)!!!! Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Nias, Indonesia;- At Lagundi a handful of toppled thatch bungalows, a flooded dive shop and numerous battered boats are all the damage we found. Nobody was killed or seriously injured. The town's mayor, fearful of an economic undertow down the road, is eager to pass along a message to members of the global water tribe. "Tell the world that our surf break hasn't been damaged," the well-tanned bureaucrat says earnestly, as perfect tubes of turquoise water roll onto the sand behind him. A guesthouse owner with bleached hair adds: "Thanks, Bro." Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Nias Indonesia;- SurfAid International said hundreds of people had died and hundreds more were missing on the island of Nias.The Indonesian island, 125 km off the west coast of Northern Sumatra, had so far been left without outside aid, the charity said."It is estimated that around 6,000 people have been left without homes and most rice fields and farming land have been destroyed," a statement from SurfAid said."There is also a looming outbreak of disease with the area expected to be hit hard by sicknesses such as diarrhoea, malaria, typhoid and cholera." Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Courier Mail
Phi Phi island , Thailand;- Simon Dowell miraculously escaped the devastating tsunami by 'surfing' a wave which killed 600 islanders in Thailand. My partner and I were waiting for a boat on a floating jetty on Phi Phi island when the tsunami hit us. We were both standing on the jetty and wondered why the sea level was so low ahead of us - a wave then came and lifted the jetty from its connection to the shore.'I managed to grab hold and stay on the jetty as it was lifted into the air while my partner was forced underwater. The wave lifted the jetty up into the air like a surfboard. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at IC Cheshire Online
Queensland, Australia;- The people of Nias and surrounding islands have been some of the worst affected by the Earthquake Tsunami disaster that struck on 26 December. Nias lies around 125 km off the west coast of Northern Sumatra inIndonesia and, similar to Banda Aceh, encountered the full force ofthe Earthquake and Tsunami. Local reports state that hundreds of people have died and hundreds more are missing. Currently there is no clean drinking water, no foreign medical aid and limited medical supplies in the areas impacted. It is estimated that around 6000 people have been left withouthomes and most rice fields and farming land have been destroyed. There is also a looming outbreak of disease with the area expected tobe hit hard by sicknesses such as diarrhea, malaria, typhoid andcholera.
SurfAid International is a non-profit aid organisation that specializes in preventable disease control and works to improve the health of locals living in the Mentawai Islands, off West Sumatra. As surfers from around the globe regularly frequent these areas, SurfAid's mission is to put something back into the local communities surfers visit by providing local health and education programs. Due to the dire situation on Nias and no current outside aid, SurfAid has resourced and mobilized an emergency response team to meet the urgent health needs of the people of Nias and surrounding Islands in addition to their ongoing health programs in the Mentawa Islands. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at OTS?Newswire
Adelaide Australia;- The Australian Government is under growing pressure to try to save 25-year-old Adelaide teacher Sam Green, who has not been heard from since the giant waves swept the island of Nias, where he was on holiday, on Boxing Day. Mr Green's distraught family was given hope this week when the Department of Foreign Affairs told them he was alive and well. But their joy was snatched away when officials called back with news the information was wrong and he was still missing. Now the department is determined to do everything possible to get him home. With 13 Australians officially confirmed dead and six others awaiting DNA identification, it is understood Australian diplomats are trying to second a helicopter to fly to the area to search for Mr Green. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Courier Mail News.com.au
Pasadena, Ca, USA;- A pair of satellites over the Indian Ocean just after the massive Sumatran earthquake on 26 December captured the only measurements of the tsunamis' height in deep water. The images, will be released within days. The US-French satellites, called TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1, passed over the Bay of Bengal two hours after the massive earthquake struck just off the coast of Indonesia.
That was just about the time the leading edge of the tsunami was hitting Sri Lanka and India. The satellites did not observe coastal areas. But for eight minutes, they used radar to measure the sea level along a 3000-kilometre-long track of ocean. This image of the bay as the tsunami rolled through it provides a unique and valuable continuous measure of the waves.
There are no other observations of a similar nature anywhere in the world. The satellites saw the first two wavefronts produced by the main quake, spaced 500 to 800 kilometres apart. Read the full report at New Scientist.com
Padang, Indonesia;- Surf tour operators in Sumatra have created their own tsunami relief effort, with five boatloads of food and medical supplies on the way to remote islands and three more to follow. Chris "Scuzz" Scurrah and his partner, Christina Fowler, spent $50,000 - "every cent we've got" - to launch the program.
So far they have been promised more than $1 million by international surf wear companies. Three days ago, Mr Scurrah and his University of Sydney medical student sister, Alyssa, 26, delivered the first boatload of food to the island of Nias, 127 kilometres from Sumatra, where Surfaid International estimates 272 were killed and another 20,000 were victims of tsunami damage.
Since then, four other boats financed by Australian charter operators have sailed from the Sumatran port of Padang, one carrying medical supplies, five doctors and a team of nurses, and three loaded with rice, vegetable oil and other food purchased by Ms Fowler. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at SMH.com.au
England;- I was horrified to hear that scammers, selfish human beings, have set up false appeal telephone numbers and are stealing money donated by kind people. If you are donating money, check on at BBC.co.uk for genuine ways to donate and to ensure these theives don't get a penny. For those of you in the UK: If you text the word donate to 83321 £1.50 will go the Disasters Emergency Committee please text it as many times as you can afford - and once you have done that possibly consider giving up an extra pint or two, new pair or trainers or meal at a restaurant to donate some more if you can. keely@sandcity.co.uk
Sri Lanka;- When the tidal wave hit, we were having our last surf lesson and were in the water when everything first happened. Basically we rode out the first huge wave on our boards and stayed above the water while everyone else was being swept away and everything was being destroyed. Then the water pulled back out of the bay we were in and we barely managed to avoid being swept out to sea with the current.
We were still attached to our surfboards, I was swept under the mud by my board in the middle of the river. Luckily, because I was still attached to my board, even though it had sucked me under in the first place, I was eventually pulled up to the surface with it before I blacked out. I managed to pull my board to me and flopped on top of it until I could breathe again, then started trying to look for [my husband], Ran. I couldn't find him. The second big wave came in and I was pushed onto the shore because I was too exhausted to fight the surge.
Ran had been swept away from his surfboard after he jumped in the flood waters when I was sucked under--he had taken off his surf leash so initially he was also in danger of drowning, but as luck would have it, he spotted his board and managed to cling to it long enough to re-strap the leash to his wrist. He couldn't get out of the current pulling out of the bay, so was sucked at least two kilometres offshore -- he managed to angle his board toward one of the fishing boats that had been swept away and pulled himself onboard.
No one was on the boat, so he broke a couple of doors and managed to drop the anchor, but it didn't really catch the ground. He stayed on the boat trying to figure out how to start the engine or make the rudder work--neither of which worked. After some time he said he was being pushed by the waves toward an island and was afraid the boat would crash on the rocks around it, but he couldn't do anything to stop this from happening.
He was frantically waving at other people also stuck on other boats, but no one could really control their boats. Finally, miraculously, the surge stabilized before his boat hit the rocks and a rescue boat was able to reach him. He was picked up and taken a couple of kilometres along the shore from where I was. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Zwire.com
Hong Kong;- Strong survival spirit: Haggard and dehydrated survivors of Asia's tsunami catastrophe flooded hospitals in the disaster zone, posing a new challenge for the global relief operation. The fragility of the aid network was exposed when a cargo plane hit a herd of cows on an Indonesian runway, temporarily shutting down an airport vital to the effort to feed and clothe the homeless.
Another gripping tale of survival emerged from the Dec. 26 disaster that killed an estimated 150,000 people and left five million in need. Officials said an Indonesian man swept out to sea was found alive about 160 kilometres from shore, afloat on tree branches and debris. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Canoe.ca
New Dehli, India;- Amex withdraws Laird Hamilton advert campaign: In the aftermath of tsunami tragedy, Madison Avenue has shown that it does care and has restrained from depicting heroism on sea waves in television commercials. American Express has decided to withdraw its ad blitz which shows professional surfer Laird Hamilton surfing amid "massive and fierce waves". Dell Computers has also pulled out an ad spot where a customer asks a company executive whether someone would help him in difficulties.
In this ad, Dell shows tsunami as one of the difficult situations. Amex spokeswoman Judy Tenzer said it has stopped the ad following the earthquake and tsunami tragedy despite the fact that the ad was made for US audience. Ad agencies maintained that companies won’t like to be perceived as making gains out of a tragedy. "Any symbols in advertising which can create a link to negativity should be avoided. After the 9/11 disaster, for example, any images linked to skyscrapers were generally avoided by advertisers. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at Times of India
London, England;- Following the tsunamis in Asia, Pepsi said it would delay the introduction of a new, high-profile television advertisement that was to feature David Beckham and other soccer players in a surfing theme. Pepsi had scheduled a glitzy promotional event in Madrid for Jan. 17 to introduce the ad, the latest in a celebrity-studded campaign employing Beckham, the English soccer star who plays for Real Madrid, and other athletes and entertainers..
"In light of the recent tragedy in Asia, we at PepsiCo International have taken the decision to put our 2005 surf-themed football campaign on hold for the foreseeable future," the company said in a statement responding to questions about the campaign, whose contents had leaked out in advance of the Madrid event. The event was to have featured surfing imagery as well..
The company also said PepsiCo International, part of PepsiCo Inc., and the PepsiCo Foundation would donate $1 million toward the tsunami relief efforts and would make product donations, including the provision of Pepsi's Aquafina water brand, in areas where supplies of fresh water are needed. Read the full report at Int'l Herald Tribune
Adelaide, Australia;- Surfer's fate unknown: The parents of Adelaide surfer Sam Green are still searching for answers, two days after unverified reports that their son was alive (see further down). For days the family and friends of the 25-year-old physical education teacher, missing in Sumatra since Boxing Day, have teetered between hope and despair. Mr Green's brother Ben, 27, left last week for Padang, the provincial capital of West Sumatra, in an attempt to track him down.
On Sunday night, he was told by Australian consular officials that they had received word from a "very credible source" that his brother had been found alive. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade passed this information on to Mr Green's Adelaide-based mother and stepfather, Sharon and Richard Coombe. However, the reports have still not been verified and the department conceded yesterday that "much to our regret, there do appear to be questions about (Mr Green's) safety". Mr Coombe said: "Nobody can actually say where he was, or where he is. Read the full report contributed by K38 Rescue at The Mercury News
Thailand:- Surfer's wife dies at Phi Phi Island, ordeal ends in Buddhist ritual. Married for a year after meeting in Bali in 2000, the pair of surfers were on their fourth trip to Thailand - holidaying on the white sands of Phi Phi island. A Japanese national, Yumi became another victim of the Boxing Day tsunami while Mr Kloot, who had briefly left his wife to take some photographs of the sea, survived. As he waited yesterday for Yumi's ashes to cool, he told how he watched the waves crashing into the island before realising his wife had disappeared.
The surge came in and in a matter of seconds (the water rose) from my ankle to my waist and I just got carried down and it carried me until I hit the sign of a restaurant. "I got pinned by a big water container ... I was trapped and it was at that point I thought it was my time. And by a miracle I freed my leg. "The whole place was shaking. I just had tunnel vision, (thinking) 'where's my wife, where's my wife?' Read the full report at The Australian.news.com.au
Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka;- A week after tsunami, tourist die-hards/surfers linger in this Sri Lankan surf resort. One of them was Evert Jan Van Hoek, a 35-year-old Dutchman who, with the help of a few other European travelers, has organized a mini-relief effort. Van Hoek said he uses the Blue Fox, a hodge-podge of chairs and tables with a balcony overlooking the town's main street, as his ``office,'' sending e-mails about the plight of Sri Lanka to his friends in his hometown of The Hague. His group collects clothes and cash from friends for distribution to families left homeless or without loved ones in the tsunami.
On Sunday, about two dozen foreigners sat in open-air restaurants, walked or bicycled down the smoggy main road, or lazed in the debris-strewn beach sand. A few surfed. Jason Dodds, an Australian tourist, said he slept through the tsunami and woke up at noon because he had stayed up late celebrating Christmas the night before. His hotel, set inland, suffered little damage. I went back in the water after five days, I thought the dead bodies would have come up by then, said Dodds, sitting on a virtually empty beach. Nearby, a foreigner in a tie-dyed T-shirt wandered around in the sand, collecting debris in a green bucket. Read the full report at Bostonherald.com
Adelaide, Australia;- Sam Green is alive. The 25-year-old teacher survived the tsunami, which has already claimed the lives of at least 12 other Australians. Mr Green's family received confirmation from the Department of Foreign Affairs last night he survived the disaster. Government officials made contact with him on Nasi Island, about 1400km west of Jakarta. "He's lost everything but he's alive". Green's brother, Ben, 27, travelled to Asia on Thursday to track him down.
He flew from Adelaide to Denpasar in Bali and then on to Padang. Ben walked into the Australian consulate office in Padang, West Sumatra, as staff there received the call confirming Sam had been found. "We don't know if he's injured or not. Mr Green had been on a solo surfing safari through Indonesia. He was in Lagundri Bay, Nias Island, when the tsunami hit. The wave took everything he owned and wiped out the infrastructure on the island which is only 140km long and 50km. Read the full report at Heraldsun.news.com.au
Lhok Nga, Indonesia;- David Lines, an Australian drawn to Aceh by its surfing, was caught up in the tsunami wave that the whole world knows about. "I saw that thing start to break, and it would be 12 meters (39 foot) high" Lines said. "I'm looking at this big green barrel and it was actually barreling, and part of me was saying that's not a bad looking wave. "But of course we had to get out, and immediately we got into the car and went out." Lines outdrove the tsunami. "We had to go toward the wave to get out of our property, through a gate, off of a little lane, through the side, and then out."
"The girls were screaming ... and I'm trying to keep a cool head and hitting the horn and getting out as fast as I can." When Lines looked back at the beach for the first time, he saw the wave pushing through the trees. "It was taller than a man, it was just pushing through, it was yellow and white and stick figures were running in front of it." Asked what happened to the stick figures, Lines replied: "They're all dead." Lines' adopted hometown, Lhok Nga, was obliterated. "The only other thing I have left is my house keys," he says. Read the full report at CNN.com
North Narrabeen, Sydney, Australia;- Billabong announced the set-up of a half a million dollar Billabong TSUNAMI RELIEF FUND. The main focus of the fund will be to provide urgently needed medical supplies and relief direct into the key surfing areas off Northern Sumatra. Billabong will work closely with SurfAid International. We need to do all we can to assist the people in these areas, and we will work closely in assisting in the rehabilitation and rebuilding of some of these communities in the near future” said Billabong CEO Derek O’Neill. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Nias Sumatra, Indo;- SurfAid is now directly responding to the Tsunami Disaster in Western Sumatra on the island of Nias with an emergency medical relief team initially funded by Quiksilver Foundation and Indies Trader Company. “SurfAid is focusing efforts on their core competencies and targeting the outbreak of malaria, typhoid and cholera. Additionally, they will be providing water purification supplies and education. SurfAid’s team of doctors will be stationed in Nias to provide medical service and preventative treatment, while community facilitators will provide supplies and education on water purification. SurfAid’s local Padang office will support logistics, administration and cross functional communication efforts.
SurfAid is calling out to corporations and individuals across the globe to provide support for SurfAid’s disaster relief effort. SurfAid is now accepting donations directly towards much needed funding for their relief efforts. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Huntington Beach, California;- Launching an international effort designed to empower the global surf community to provide aid to those stricken by Asia's tsunami, the Quiksilver Foundation's recently established Nias Fund, will support the relief efforts of SurfAid and the Indies Trader Company in an Aid Initiative that will send doctors, communications and support to disaster stricken Nias and region. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka;- Scott Gardiner, and his girlfriend Bianca Wilks watched the disaster unfold from their second-storey guesthouse room, with Gardiner immediately recognising that a tsunami was about to hit when big waves rolled in and then the ocean drained back hundreds of metres
Wilks and Gardiner have been pitching in along with a bunch of about 60 local surfers leading the charge in Hikkaduwa, who said they have received hundreds of emails from foreigners pledging donations towards reconstruction.
One of the surfers, who gave his name as Mambo and who lost 12,000 dollars worth of stock at his surf school, has been helping coordinate the cleanup, methodically dragging the masses of debris onto the road and sweeping it up. "The surfers and their families are helping out each other. We want to get back our Hikkaduwa again," he said. Read the full report at Channelnewsasia.com
Turtle Beach, Nias, Sumatra;- Sam Green has not contacted his family for 10 days In that time, the tsunami hit the Indonesian islands where he was on a solo surfing safari, Yesterday, Sam's brother Ben, 27, has left Adelaide for Denpasar in Bali to trace the path Sam, 25, had mapped out. Ben filled a backpack with first aid supplies and water and flew out. "All I want to do is find my brother. If anyone is going to get through this, he will."
An email from Sam mentioned plans to travel by bus to Sumatra and then make his way to the Mentawai Islands. His final destination was Turtle Beach, Nias, where the waves were "cranking". "He's in Indonesia for sure, but there is some conflicting information about where he was when the tsunami hit, so that's what I need to figure out," Mr Green said. Planning to distribute photographs at local bus depots and ferry terminals, Mr Green will meet Sam's university friend, Matt Jacobson from Newcastle, to help the search.
Turtle Beach is on one of the islands closest to the quake's epicentre. Reports from a ranger said the island's only phone was not working and while there had been some deaths, it was not believed there were any foreigners killed. Read the full report at heraldsun.news.com.au
Sri Lanka;- To escape the tsunami waves, Gal and four other Israeli wind-surfers headed for the mountains, where they remained for three days in a tangle of vegetation with no food or water. Luckily the mobile phone one of them had worked - and they made contact with Israel.
"It happened just a second before we headed out to wind-surf. We heard this huge noise that we thought was rain. But right afterward we saw a wave about a meter-and-a-half high that flooded everything. We ran to the mountains, where we made contact with the Foreign Ministry and asked that we be rescued. But it took three days before they got to us." Read the full report at haaretz.com
Sabang, Wei island, Indonesia;- Ten foreigners on a surfing holiday were trapped in Sabang, Wei island, just north of Aceh’s capital Banda Aceh, when the massive tsunami ravaged the region last Sunday. Debby a Canadian, said that she was breakfasting with others on Sunday morning, while a friend, Hal, was already out on his surfboard.
“Suddenly we saw a huge wave of around 10 meters coming towards the beach. We just ran in all directions trying to save ourselves,” she said. Hal was safe enough in the distance as the wave passed and most of Debby’s breakfast companions made it to higher ground in time to escape the impact of the tidal wave. Hal returned to shore after the sea had settled. Read the full report at Laksamana.Net
Sri Lanka, Midigama;- TWO British tourists claim they escaped death by surfing on the tsunami. Surfer Joe Pritchard, 17, from Dorset and Gary Wells, 21, from Devon were at the Sri Lankan resort of Midigama when the tsunami starting to surge in. Joe said: 'I thought 'What's going on,' and jumped in the water.'Joe and Gary were carried out by the receding tide half a mile across sand and coral to safety. Read the full report at Daily Mail.co.uk
Sri Lanka: Hikkaduwa;- Martin Markwell was paddling on Sunday off Hikkaduwa beach resort on Sri Lanka's southern coast when he was swept up by a tsunami wave and had the ride of his life as he surfed over what was moments earlier the beach, and ended up in a hotel restaurant. “It was really terrible because I was surfing on a wave I wasn’t supposed to be on,” he said. “As an experienced surfer, when I saw the wave come I realised something was wrong, but I couldn’t escape because my surfboard was tied to my ankle.”
His wife Vicki and son Jake looked on in fear from a hotel balcony as he careered toward the shore. Amazingly, he stayed on his board until he reached the hotel, leaped off as the ocean rolled back to feed a much larger, 30 ft high wave on its way. Read the full report at Surfersvillage News
Maldives: Tumbaradoo;- Steve Lanfranco and his mate Gabe McGee were working as surfing instructors in the Maldives when the tsunami struck. Steve says;- We were both in the water. I had a seven-year-old kid, his name was Theo. We were having a lesson and Gabe was in the water as well, videoing and photographing the lesson. And all of a sudden the sea started boiling and the islands from which we were surfing out the front of, just started going underwater.
The waves stopped breaking off the edge of the reef where we usually surf and started breaking in between the coconut trees on the island and five or 10 minutes later after the sea started boiling, this huge current that has never happened before sort of started to push us into the channel. We had our little boat there and we just got on the boat in time. The sea turned into rapids.
Getting back was a little bit of a mission too, because our boat was sort of helpless for a little while, and we almost got dry reefed a few times, and we got sucked out to sea another time, and there were waves that nearly capsized the boat. Full article & audio tape at www.abc.net.au
Indonesia: Bali & Aceh;- Members of the Bali surf industry and Mentawai yacht charters are joining in an effort to reach all the small coastal villages of Sumatra that will be the last location major rescue operations will reach. This will be the fastest way to help the people worst affected by the tsunami. The joint effort is being co-ordinated by IDEP, a long established and respected NGO aid organization based in Bali. Full information at Surfersvillage News
Indonesia: Asu, & Nias Islands;- Thank you to everyone that offered help and donations for the people of Asu and Nias. It has touched us so much that you are so willing to help these people. Fortunatly things are not as bad as we initially thought. I have spoken by Satellite phone today with friends from Sirombu who have returned to the area yesterday. Reports from Hinako, Asu and Bawa islands are that all residents are safe and no lives have been lost. We are not sure yet of damages, but were more concerned for lives.
Sirombu on the mainland has been severly damaged and 8 people are confirmed dead and 2 people missing (which is well down from early reports of 120 people. We presume that residents that fled the area were feared dead or missing and have now returned safely). An Indonesian presidential advisor toured the Hinako Islands yesterday after fears the island chain had been submerged. But a report in the Jakarta Post today says that "(Silalahi) looked happy to find intact the Hinako, Bawa and Asu Islands of the Sirombu district during an aerial reconnaissance mission."
It is also reported that he has distributed Rp 1 Billion (US$11,000) worth of food, medicines and other supplies to the islanders. Stu organised a small charted plane from Medan yesterday full of provisions for the islanders which arrived safely yesterday afternoon (in better shape that Stu, who in his efforts had a bad motor bike accident in Medan and is in hospital with a broken arm nose and teeth).
We are confident that in the immediate future the people of Nias will be well looked after as supplies are still getting through to them, although as time passes help will be needed in the rebuilding of homes and boats. We may call on your help at that time. Right now I think we need to look further north to the Aceh region, to see where we can help immediatly.
I have had information from 2 sources that are getting aid directly to this area. We urge you and everyone you can contact to help with donations or packages. Please look at or www.surfaidinternational.org or www.mentawai.com/aceh.html We can guarentee that these organisations will but your donations in the right places and remember that the smallest amount counts and time is essential.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Max, Kell and Stu, Jamie, Phil, Anthony and Will, Sumatran Surf Adventures, Hinakos Hideaway, ASU.
Indonesia: Nias;- Quiksilver are currently working with Surf Aid and the Indies Trader organisation in a plan to get the Indies Trader 2 to Nias with doctors on board. As of the 28th December it was reported that help hadn't reached Nias yet. Indes Trader staff have flown to Padang to prepare the Indies Trader 2. Exact date of departure still to be confirmed. More info to follow.
Indonesia: Asu Island; - I've been worried about the people I know on Asu Island (off Nias, Sumatra) who were so kind to me when I had an accident there a few years ago. Just got this email from the Belgian couple who run a small bar/accomodation place on the island, Cristina and Patrick. It sounds much worse than I thought so if you enjoyed your stay on Asu or even have enjoyed surfing in Indo, here's your chance to help out. See the Surfersvillage forum
Sri Lanka: Hikkaduwa: Photos of Hikkawaduwa have been posted online by a German (presumeably tourist in Sri Lanka at the time). Check his website. Thank you Jurier jurjenuit@hotmail.com
Sri Lanka: Hikkaduwa: Ronny Bauer from California has been located. His sister Valerie writes, "We found him!! We are so happy. He called the other day to let us know he made it. I wanted to thank you very much for your help and providing a forum for people to communicate". See Surfersvillage News
Indonesia: Aceh, Northern Sumatra has been devastated by the Tsunami. TV images are starting to come in from helicopters.... no-one has set foot in the area since the quake. Monster waves demolished everything up to 2 Km inland. The destruction looks more like Hiroshima than the shocking images we have all seen so far from other areas - no green trees standing, no bright colors anywhere, just mud and destruction. 17 towns on the mainland had populations of over 35,000, but communications are down, no word yet from any survivors in Meulaboh (great surf spot). Rumours say over 80% of Lohksamue are dead. The entire SW Aceh region has maybe 1 million residents all up and a large proportion live along the coast.
How YOU can HELP:
Donations to get a fleet of hospital ships there is what is needed, now but for now we can make a start using a 200 ton ferry. Every minute counts. Please visit http://www.mentawai.com/aceh.html,
Terima Kasih, Rick, Mentawai Sanctuary, www.mentawai.com
Indonesia: Mentawais; SurfAid International would like to express our deepest condolences and heartfelt wishes for everyone affected by this tragedy. Initial reports have stated that the Mentawai Islands were not directly impacted by the full brunt of the tsunami that hit other areas throughout SE Asia and that everything appears to be fine overall. News from Padang is equally optimistic with no reports of damaging tides or extreme tidal influences affecting the city or local harbors. Surfaidinternational.org
Indonesia: Baliwaves up-date: The tidal wave did not effect Bali, no damage no incidents. The island of Nias & a large area of Northern Sumatra were devastated by the wave. The tragedy took place quite a long way from Bali. The vacationers here on Bali at present don't seem to be too worried about the Hilton Hotel warnings either, from your ordinary surfers, to pensioners and families in between it's holidays as usual. For further news and up-dates on the TIDAL WAVE stay tuned to your local news stations. Baliwaves.com
Briton in Sri Lanka: I surfed the tsunami; - A British tourist in Sri Lanka claims that he actually surfed the weekend's tsunami. Gary Wolf visiting Sri lanka said "Suddenly I saw that the rocks near the shore had simply disappeared," he recounted. "At first, I didn't understand what was happening and I concentrated on surfing. When I finished surfing, I discovered that I was on the highway, about half a mile from the beach where my room was. Fortunately, the waves pulled me and my surfboard into shore instead of out into the ocean." Read the full report at Haaretz.com
South Africa: Wavescape - The earthquake, caused early Boxing Day by a sudden violent slip of a 900km-long chunk of bulging geologic plates on the sea floor, set off a deadly chain reaction of tsunamis that shot from the vertically inclined disturbance, hurtling westwards across the ocean at 800km/h. It also apparently moved the ENTIRE island of Sumatra 30 metres to the SW. (One wonders what will happen to the surf spots of the Mentawais?
Rob Kenchington, a Wavescape reader from North Island in New Zeland, said that they were battered by tsunamis for 10 hours on Boxing Day, but "unfortunately nothing surfable, just radical surges and drops in sea level, up to 8 meters. Dropping in about 1 minute and surging in the same time. Awesome to watch."
In KwaZulu-Natal, ski boats and diving boats were evacuated at Sodwana Bay. Small powerful waves were reported at river mouths in Still Baai and Struis Baai, as well as Richards Bay. None were life threatening, although IOL Online reported that a man drowned, and two others rescued, at Blue Horizon Bay near Port Elizabeth. Read the full report at Wavescape.co.za
Maldives: Lohifushi; - Mike Rigg, 33, a construction worker from the Wirral near Liverpool, UK, was surfing at the resort of Lohifushi when the tsunami hit. He said there was a six-feet-high surge in the waves and he was dragged along the edge of a powerful current, though he managed to stay out of the worst of it. Read the full report at Surfersvillage.com
Sri Lanka: Arugambay an idyllic place by the sea on Sri Lanka’s southeast coast, one of the best surfing locations in the world is littered with corpses and debris. Nothing is left of Arugambay now. Surrounded by the Pottuvil lagoon and the sea, most of Arugambay was not only obliterated but was marooned by the Tsunami. Read the full report at Tamilnet.com
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