International rescue teams arrive in Sumatra earthquake zone

Gavin Fang, Geoff Thompson, wires

Last Updated: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 07:40:00 +1000

Australian aid and personnel have joined a steady flow of international help arriving on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where at least 1100 people were killed in an earthquake three days ago.

Many more bodies are believed to be under collapsed buildings.

Indonesia correspondent Geoff Thompson reports from the island's capital, Padang.

Late last night, a Royal Australian Air Force C-130 and C-17 landed in Padang, bringing with them about 20 military medics and engineers, and a 36-strong team of civilian search and rescue experts.

A first planeload of Australian aid also arrived in a cargo jet carrying emergency stores, including medical kits, blankets and tents.

The members of the Queensland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force arrived without the sniffer dogs which would normally accompany them because they've already been deployed to Samoa, hit by a tsunami earlier in the week.

However Swiss sniffer dog teams are already assisting and similarly-supported teams arrived from Singapore overnight.

An 85-strong Japanese disaster relief team has arrived in Padang to help search for survivors. Britain is also sending search and rescue experts to join search efforts.

West Sumatra's Deputy Governor, Marlis Rahman estimates about 30,000 people are homeless in Padang and the surrounding towns. And with food, water and fuel in short supply, a humanitarian crisis is looming.

'Completely destroyed'

Meanwhile, the Red Cross says some Indonesian villages in western Sumatra's earthquake zone have been completely destroyed.

It says an aerial survey shows the city of Padang are bad, but in surrounding rural areas some villages are flattened and there is huge damage to infrastructure

Geoff Thompson says normal traffic flow has returned to many city streets and in those less affected by Wednesday's quake only discerning eyes will notice dangerous fractures in the walls of many buildings which remain upright.

'Prepare for worst'

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says emergency services should prepare for the worst.

President Yudhoyono flew to Padang Thursday after returning to Indonesia from a trip to the United States.

"It's better to overestimate than to underestimate," he told reporters. "It is better to send more enforcement, especially in emergency aid... which can help those who are still buried in the rubble."

UN humanitarian chief John Holmes says hundreds more are injured and the numbers of dead and hurt were likely to rise as the full scale of the tragedy unfolds.

Many districts remain inaccessible to emergency services.

Road reopened

Meanwhile, after being cut off since Wednesday's quake, Indonesian authorities have now reopened one major road into Padang to bring in equipment to help in the search and rescue operation.

Local resources are stretched and the government has asked for international aid in the form of medicine, tents, food and search and rescue equipment.

Some of that aid is starting to arrive in the earthquake battered city of Padang on Friday evening.

Hundreds of people remain trapped under the rubble. But authorities are also concerned about the thousands that remain without shelter especially as food, fuel and water in the city is in short supply

Health risks

The smell emanating from collapsed buildings in Padang poses health risks and indicates the official death toll of 1,100 could soar far higher.

"Our main problem is that there are a lot of victims still trapped in the rubble. We are struggling to pull them out," Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari told reporters.

"We need help from foreign countries for evacuation efforts. We need them to provide skilled rescuers with equipment," she said, also appealing for medics to treat badly injured victims, many with broken bones.

The Indonesian government said it had approved $US26 million in cash to help victims. International aid groups dispatched relief teams.

Many countries have already pledged aid, but efforts to organise a widespread rescue operation are being hampered by blocked roads, broken power lines, and patchy communication networks.

US President Barack Obama said he was "deeply moved" by the loss of life and suffering as Washington announced $300,000 in immediate aid and set aside another three million to help quake victims.

"Indonesia is an extraordinary country who has known extraordinary hardships from natural disasters. I know that the Indonesian people are strong and resilient and have the heart to overcome this challenge," said Obama, who spent part of his childhood living in Jakarta.

The Department for International developments says a 60-strong team of fire fighters and staff from aid agencies, carrying specialist rescue equipment, are heading to the devastated region on a government-chartered plane.

Australians missing

Meanwhile, Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says government officials are working to locate about 60 Australians who may have been in the vicinity of this week's earthquake in Sumatra.

So far no Australians are reported to be among the dead or injured, but officials are checking hospitals in the region.

Mr Rudd says the number of Australians still unaccounted for has dropped.

"Earlier [on Friday] estimates were that are over 100 Australians who are not accounted for. I can now confirm that that number has fallen there remains about 60 Australians still unaccounted for but I caution these numbers may change as further confirmation comes to hand," he said.

Language News