Survivors worry over quake rumors<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Medan\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
A fresh wave of panic swept through Simeulue island off the coast
\nof Aceh on Friday, with most of the population heading for the
\nhills after rumors of an imminent major earthquake and subsequent
\ntsunami broke.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in neighboring Nias island off North Sumatra,
\nrescue teams continued hunting for survivors trapped beneath the
\ndebris although hopes were dwindling four days after the 8.7-
\nmagnitude quake struck, with many survivors complaining of
\nhunger.<\/p>\n
The majority of the 78,000 hungry and terrified Simeuleu
\nislanders left their homes after hearing of an imminent
\nearthquake predicted to be even bigger than Monday's quake,
\nSimeulue district chief Darmili told AFP.<\/p>\n
Aftershocks intensified the panic on the island, and most of
\nthe residents are now too afraid to return. The death toll
\nremains at 17 there.<\/p>\n
UN operations coordinator in the Nias capital of Gunung Sitoli
\nFrancois Desruisseaux said the fourth day after such a disaster
\nwas critical, and the possibility of finding more survivors was
\ndiminishing.<\/p>\n
\"Most victims who can survive can do so for up to four days.
\nThe fourth day is critical,\" he said, but he added that search
\nand rescue efforts would continue for several more days.<\/p>\n
The UN estimated the death toll in Nias to have reached 1,300
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
After overcoming logistical bottlenecks caused by the damaged
\nairport and roads and stormy seas, equipment, food and medical
\nsupplies began pouring into Gunung Sitoli, which has become a
\nteeming hub for aid distribution.<\/p>\n
Boats were lining up in the city's harbor to unload trucks,
\nlifting equipment, food, water, tents and other supplies.<\/p>\n
A ship carrying 350 metric tons of food including, rice,
\ncooking oil and fish was unloaded late on Thursday. French Red
\nCross teams arrived with water purification kits, bottled water
\nand generators.<\/p>\n
The World Food Programme deployed a ship to the island on
\nFriday with 100 tons of food, 4,000 tents and water sanitation
\nequipment, while two more ships, with a combined load of 220 tons
\nof non-food aid, were also headed for the island.<\/p>\n
Despite army engineers' efforts, most of the roads on Nias
\nremained blocked to ordinary vehicles, while gasoline was in
\nshort supply, complicating efforts to move food and medicine
\nbeyond Gunung Sitoli.<\/p>\n
Such a situation means many are still without food and medical
\nassistance, even a short distance outside the main city.<\/p>\n
\"It's difficult to find water, difficult to eat. I had to seek
\nrefuge in the hills for two nights,\" said Marian Amri, a 26-year-
\nold mother of three who was trying to leave the Nias port of
\nGunung Sitoli with her family.<\/p>\n
Emergency repairs to the airstrip on Nias allowed small
\ncommercial flights to resume operations on Friday and were
\nexpected to help speed up relief, which has until now relied on a
\nhelicopter lifeline and slow sea traffic.<\/p>\n
The port of Sibolga on mainland Sumatra, which has been used
\nto transfer supplies, is jammed as aid groups scramble to load
\nsupplies onto its sole daily passenger ship to Nias.<\/p>\n
Gunung Sitoli was still largely without water and electricity
\nand in desperate need of heavy-lifting equipment to search
\nthrough the rubble for survivors and bodies.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/survivors-worry-over-quake-rumors-1447893297",
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