South Sumatran Earthquakes 2007
The photos were taken at the surf break Thunders, by Andrew Read
Click pictures to enlarge
South Sumatran Earthquakes
Hi All,
Here is a point form account of what happened during last weeks earthquakes. It was not till we returned to Padang that we realized the extent of the damage to Bengkulu and the Pagai Islands. We are heading out tonight with a tonne of rice to distribute to those villages in need. We will also be doing a bit more geological surveys of the reefs, in the form of photos, for Dr Kerry Sikh, who is the leading expert in earthquakes and plate tectonics in Indonesia.
- 12 September 1800. Barrenjoey anchored in Pasarangan Bay (Maccaronis) when large quake hits. Vessel shaking violently. Trees and beach moving in unison for about 30 seconds.
- Pull anchor and head out to sea. Strong southerlies blowing.
- A small yacht “Melody” remains in the bay and reports to us over radio that his vessel does a slow rotation on anchor. He has a log behind his boat and reports ˝ knot of current pushing into the bay about 2 hours after quake.
- Indies Trader 3 has left the Sibigau Island (Thunders) area and reports 2.5 knots of current from the South. Which is what we experience heading South in about 60m of water.
- Crew on watch reports another quake felt through vessel around 2200. Confirmed by locals on Sibigau Island the following day.
- 13 September, around 0700 another quake hits. We are anchored off Sibigau Island. I am helping another vessel beach their dinghy at the time. Local villages are also helping. When quake hits they run off the beach towards the coconut trees? I am aboard my dinghy and watch local huts rock from side to side at about 45 degree angles. All trees shaking in unison as with last nights quake. Surfers in the water feel the quake through their boards which are bouncing violently.
- All vessels anchor in deeper water.
- 2 larger than normal waves are observed hitting the reef about an hour and half later.
- Tide begins to drop.
- At mid tide I venture to beach on Eastern side of Sibigau. Both my wife and myself observe unusually low tide with reef never before seen out of the water. There is a huge amount of sand been shaken of the beach and being sucked along the island with the current. Deep furrows and cracks in the beach.
- Lowtide we venture onto western reef of island. Extremely lowtide. Soft corals exposed. Dying clams, octopus, eels, fish, crabs, etc. We estimate at least ˝ metre drop below what it should be. Large cracks through the reef.
- All photos sent are of this.
- Locals tell my crew they are scared because the rumbling came from below the island and it sounded like something trying to come out of the earth.
- I view sand island to east of Sibigau through binoculars. It appears a lot more reef exposed than normal.
- That afternoon we head to Bitojet Island (Rags). Unusually lowtide observed again. Transport 6 fishermen to village of Poloragat on Pagai Seletan. Extremely lowtide observed here also.
- 14 September. Head back to Maccaronis. Extreme cracks and furrows at the entrance of lagoon in the bay. Yacht “Melody” the morning earthquake is same as the one the previous evening. Extreme lowtides observed here. Maybe not as much as Sibigau. Spoke to local from Betamonga, he reports that school and church have collapsed.
- 15 September. Arrive at Katiet on South Sipura 2 hours short of hightide. Reef observed out of the water here. Locals returning from a night on the hill. Reports of extreme lowtides here also. Little damage to village.