- AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim
VIVAnews - The great waves that hit Mentawai recently had been predicted long before the 7.9 magnitude earthquake shook West Sumatra on September 30, 2009.
The forecast proved right when the 7.2 magnitude which trembled Mentawai at 9.42 pm on October 25, 2010, triggered the tsunami. Homes that are situated on the western coast of the Mentawai Islands were thumped by a series of waves of coconut-tree-high. A tourist resort named Makaroni which was managed by a foreigner was destroyed.
According to Supri Linda, a Sikakap inhabitant, the tsunami hit the islands 10 minutes after the earthquake occurred. Locals thought that the earthquake would not trigger tsunamis because of its strength, which was weaker than the 2009 tremor.
An activist at the Citra Mandiri Foundation, Rahmadi, said locals did not have the chance to escape from the waves due to deep sleep. "People in Mentawai go to bed at 8 pm. Moreover, it was cats and dogs outside, preventing them from hearing any church bells," he said.
Meanwhile, people felt that the earthquake in Padang, West Sumatra's capital, lasted for more than 30 seconds. It swayed the city in constant shocks. "It was as if we're being tossed to and fro by the sea waves," said Fitra Heldi, 35, an inhabitant of Belimbing housing complex in Padang.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics announced that the earthquake might trigger tsunamis. Padang Mayor Fauzi Bahar signed in on a radio in Padang and told people to evacuate from coastal areas.
People went in groups toward higher grounds in Padang. An hour after the announcement, no tsunamis hit the city.
At the same moment, thousands of people in Mentawai struggled for the lives against the massive waves of the Indian Ocean.
On Tuesday morning, an Australian reported to the world through Skynews that Mentawai had just been battered by tsunami waves.
What was really going on that day? Why was Mentawai likely neglected during the tsunami mitigation? Did the Mentawai people receive the information spreaded by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics?
Despite its short distance with the tremor's epicenter, Mentawai is not yet equipped with early warning system. Six tsunami alarms installed in West Sumatra did not cover the outer islands of Indonesia. Church bells were the only warning system available in the islands.
"We're planning to install an integrated communication device in November," said Ade Edward, Coordinator of West Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Operation Center.
Even after being installed, Ade Edward explained in July 2010 that the early warning system worked within 15 minutes after the earthquake shook. "When high-magnitude earthquake occurs, we have 15 minutes to activate the alarms," said Ade. Whereas in Mentawai, the tsunami destroyed the islands 10 minutes after the tremor.
Therefore, the Disaster Mitigation Agency announced its plan to install surveillance cameras on the Mentawai waters.
The Indonesian also stated its plan to fix the roads linking hamlets in Pagai subdistrict. Next month, the government will develop satellite-based telecommunication network.
However, the plan is still being discussed.
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Coverage by: Eri Naldi | Padang
Translated by: Bonardo Maulana W
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