Indonesia: In times of crisis, every moment counts

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Muhamad Djindan recalls his journey to the tsunami-hit Mentawai Island to help survivors in one of Indonesia's remotest places. His story illustrates why good co-ordination and planning are crucial in quick relief operations, while finding an experienced local partner will save time. A gigantic tree washed 200 metres from the coastal line by the tsunami. Photo: Muhamad Djindan/OxfamIn October, barely a year after Oxfam closed its office in West Sumatra province after completing its response to the Padang earthquake of Christmas day 2009, another earthquake, measuring 7.2 on the richter scale, triggered a 10-12 metre high tsunami wave in Mentawai district in the same province. The district, consiting of three major islands, is located in the southern part of West Sumatra and separated from Sumatra mainland. Initial reports from various media came two days after the earthquake because of limited communication. Alongside several journalists from national and international media, military officers, and rescue teams, I left for Mentawai on 29 October on a boat which also carried aid items. After 15 hours we finally reached Sikakap port, the only available port in Pagai. I met with Kortanius Sabeleake from YCM, Oxfam's local partner in Mentawai. He had managed to visit the southern part of Pagai only one day after the strike. Finding that there were urgent needs, he had already started distributing emergency aid items. Hygiene kit distribution in Glagahharjo, Cangkringan. Photo: Muhamad Djindan/OxfamSea transportation and rapidly changing weather have been common challenges in this emergency response. Plenty of aid has been stuck in Sikakap because of bad weather. The day Oxfam arrived in Sikakap, Kortanius had planned to continue the distribution using a speedboat. On board were five people: two Oxfam staff, a national journalist and two YCM staff including Kortanius. I hadn't expected another sea trip any time soon after the 15-hour ferry ride. But as it's the only way to reach the affected area the decision to join was very easy and quick. The destination was Maonai Sub-village in Malakopa, South Pagai. At first, the weather seemed to be on our side ? we were sailing in the open smooth sea. Then the rain started drizzling and became heavier and heavier ? enough that it gave our small speedboat a jolt. We were very lucky to have Kortanius, who knew the sea so well that he could cope with these type of waves with his eyes closed, with us. After several smashing waves, he concluded the waves were too high and decided to dock in Balerasok sub-village. This sub-village had also been hit by the tsunami. There were 30 heavily damaged houses along the coastline. Everyone hgad been forced from their homes. Big trees had been washed 500 metres from the beach. Canoes were destroyed. The only things that still stood were coconut trees. The smell of rotting corpses 700 metres from the coast under the hill indicated that people were trapped there. Most of the survivors in this sub-village had fled to higher ground 5-7km away. The ocean was calm again after 30 minutes, and we continued our journey to Maonai sub-village but soon encountered another climate contort. Kortanius rapidly changed his direction to Malakopa sub-village, where all of the villagers had survived. "We can spend the night in this village ? they have decent enough houses," Kortanius told us. In Malakopa, we learned how the tsunami has wreaked havoc to the village; all the vital means of sea transportation such as boats and canoes were broken. Corals had been uprooted by the waves as far as 3km from the shore. Most houses and public facilities were also destroyed. Water inundation was seen everywhere as rain continued pouring. The sub-district office and local health facilities were no exception. You can still see the structure, but the tsunami has stripped down parts of the walls, windows and doors to the ground. Fortunately nobody was killed in this place. The villagers' experience in the 2007 earthquake had taught them to move their houses to higher ground 3-4km from the coast. Only public facilities and a warehouse remained in the danger zone. Relief aid items carried on the ship in October. Photo: Muhamad Djindan/OxfamKortanius introduced us to the villagers and a small discussion began. The villagers complained about how insufficient aid was, and that they could not leave the village to seek help as their boats and canoes were damaged and sea is the only transport means. "If there were canoes, I would have been able to contact my families in Sikakap and get help," said one villager. Being an island country, Indonesia's many places and islands are not easy to reach. At this point, we learned that YCM was running the distribution with two boats with difficulty in getting petrol for the engine. This has really slowed down the distribution. Oxfam came to fill the gap by providing additional boats and petrol so YCM could scale up its work. Most humanitarian agencies were not familiar with this remote coastal area. Rapidly changing weather made it harder for transportation and relief operations and resulted in delays and confusion. So one of Oxfam's top priorities is to advocate for broader co-ordination with local authorities to improve aid distribution. In this context, an effective and efficient operation is even more important. More from the Oxfam Press Office at http://www.oxfam.org.uk/news