Aftershock hits Simeulue, IDPs suffering from illness

The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Jakarta

An aftershock measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale hit the quake- devastated island of Simeulue off the west coast of mainland Aceh on Monday as survivors of last Saturday's 7.7 quake on the island were reportedly ill as aid flowed in slowly, an official said Monday.

The coordinator of the disaster relief task force in Simeulue, Naskah bin Kamar, told The Jakarta Post on Monday that the mild aftershock frightened most of the 7,700 internally displaced people (IDP), who were unwilling to return to their devastated homes.

"The aftershock was not significant, but it traumatized the people even more," Naskah told the Post.

Naskah also said that several aid packages had arrived, including six tons of rice, noodles, sugar and coffee.

Currently he is coordinating seven IDP camps across the island, including five in Sinabang town.

Nevertheless, the aid was far below what was needed for the 7,700 people, and most of all, medicine had become scarce, said a local official named Irwan Basir.

"Of the 7,700, around 1,000 people -- mainly children and elderly -- are now suffering from diarrhea and fever," said Irwan Basir as quoted by AFP.

Two people were killed, dozens of others injured during the quake that left thousands homeless.

The dead victims, Jamiah, 60, and Badai, 30, were buried in their villages on Sunday.

Latest reports showed the quake destroyed 356 buildings and damaged 1,054 others, Basir said.

Many island residents spent the night sleeping in the open fearing further aftershocks. At least 14 aftershocks have hit the island since the first quake.

Basir said administrators had persuaded around 3,000 people -- out of some 4,500 who fled their villages due to fears of a tidal wave -- to return to their damaged homes.

Officials estimated on Monday that the quake that hit the remote island had inflicted Rp 58.8 billion (US$6.4 million) in material losses.

Spokesman for the Simeulue administration Joni Rizal told Antara news agency that the quake fractured the foundations, beams, walls and roofs of government buildings. The damage had disrupted all government activities and public services, the official said.

"The majority of the civil servants are not going to their offices because they are afraid if they enter their offices, the fractured buildings can collapse anytime," Joni said.

The news agency, however, reported that activities at the trade center in Sinabang, the capital of Simeulue regency, had gradually returned to normal with several shops and kiosks resuming business on Monday.

The quake was felt as far away as the Aceh capital, Banda Aceh, and Medan city in neighboring North Sumatra province.

There were no reports of injuries or damage in those cities.

An official at the Aceh provincial social agency, Sulaiman Daudi, said his agency was ready to send ten tons of rice to the quake victims but gave no details on when and how the aid would reach the victims in Simeulue.

Besides rice, 1,000 sheets would also be distributed.

Separately, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have also sent aid relief to the island.

PMI executive chairman Sanusi Maha said three truckloads of medicine, blood bags, blankets, instant noodles and other goods had been sent from Banda Aceh to Simeulue via Meulaboh in West Aceh on Monday afternoon.

The relief aid was expected to reach the island on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, most of the 70 quake victims who had been treated at Simeulue General Hospital had returned home. As of Monday, there were only seven people who remained in the hospital. One of them, Afandi, 40, was in critical condition.

Simeulue Regent Darmili said he would continue to provide medical care for the victims.