DOCSLIB.ORG

Same Planet, a Different World

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Same Planet, a Different World The following is a firsthand account of a medical-relief mission to western Indonesia that Dennis Whitehead, MD ’75, undertook in March 2005 in response to severe earthquakes that devastated the region only months after the tsunami struck. As this issue of Buffalo Physician was going to press, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. We contacted Whitehead and asked him if he had been involved in relief efforts following the storm. We learned he had just Same Planet, a Different World returned from six days of working with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals to support search-and- rescue efforts in downtown New Orleans, assist boat crews in the flooded areas, treat rescue workers, complete MEDICAL RELIEF IN INDONESIA, POST-TSUNAMI AND EARTHQUAKE EMS site surveys and examine shelter patients in rural St. Tammany Parish, northeast of New Orleans. By DENNIS C. WHITEHEAD, MD ’75 At our request, Whitehead agreed to report on his Gulf Coast experience in the next issue of Buffalo Physician. —S. A. UNGER, EDITOR All that remains of Banda Aceh’s densely populated residential area. The hills in the background shielded most of the downtown business district. Nias Island Same Planet, a Different World India Indian Ocean Cambodia My thirtieth medical class reunion took place this past April, and I was looking forward to it very much. I have greatly enjoyed seeing my Sumatra classmates every five years and catching up on their lives. My former room- Malaysia mate, Jack Freer, MD ’75, now a clinical professor of medicine at UB, was 8.7 earthquake coordinator for our class this year and I promised him I would be there for the festivities. I never did make the reunion, but I had a pretty good excuse. Sumatra Nias Island During my daughter’s birthday last December 26, those with prior international experience were being newscasts reported that there had been a severe earth- asked to serve. So I donated money and prayed for the quake and tsunami in the East Indian Ocean. Initial victims, vowing to volunteer again sometime in the reports indicated significant damage and some casualties near future. in Sri Lanka and Thailand. By evening my children and I on April 3, I sent my CV to several NGOs and again SHOTS, FORMS AND ANXIETY were appalled by news of how much devastation the THE RIGHT TIME TO SERVE volunteered my help. IMC is very well organized and sent me a great tsunami had caused, putting a damper on the birthday Shortly thereafter I received a response from the On March 28, 2005, an 8.7 magnitude earthquake deal of information about what to expect during my celebration. We pulled out an atlas and looked at how International Medical Corps (IMC), headquartered in hit just north of Nias Island, Indonesia, which is 400 miles service. At their recommendation, I started mefloquine close northwestern Indonesia is to the quake’s epicenter Santa Monica, California: “We could certainly use south of Banda Aceh and 90 miles off the west coast of for malarial prophylaxis and was immunized against and wondered how the people living on the coast there your services in Indonesia. Can you leave in a couple Sumatra. This quake was the second largest quake our typhoid, meningitis, tetanus and polio, all of which are had fared. of weeks?” planet had experienced in 41 years and thousands of endemic in Indonesia. I also completed many forms about The next morning, reports began coming in from The next day, my four partners in our rural hospital’s casualties were reported on Nias. (The tsunami quake in my background and questionnaires about whether I had Banda Aceh at the northern tip of Sumatra, estimating Emergency Department readily agreed to cover my shifts December is now rated at 9.35.) The epicenter of the any objections to living in a tent, whether I was willing to that over 100,000 people had been killed in that city during the five weeks I would be away, truly making my March 28 quake was farther south on the Sunda Fault, fly in helicopters and whether I minded exposure to phys- alone. I recall feeling sad and helpless. I just wanted to commitment to IMC a group effort. the same fault that caused the tsunami. ical challenges. do something to help. IMC was founded in 1984 by an emergency physician Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) previously Since I have mountaineering experience I expected December 27, 2004, was a beautiful snowy day where I named Bob Simon to help train emergency medicine per- flush with volunteers were finding fewer applicants with assignment to an austere environment. I was told I would live in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I had a date for cross- sonnel in Afghanistan during its conflict with the former a second major disaster occurring so soon after the be sent somewhere in Aceh Province, an area that before country skiing with my friend Coleen, a critical care nurse Soviet Union. I was acquainted with Bob from my work tsunami, so international relief rookies were needed. On the tsunami was best known as the home of a militant at the hospital where I practice emergency medicine. Our with the American College of Emergency Physicians, and March 30, Coleen was called by Project Hope for imme- Muslim separatist group called GAM. (Aceh is about conversation turned to the tsunami, and as we talked I many years ago I had called him to inquire about volun- diate service onboard the USNS Mercy, a navy hospital 95 percent Muslim, by far the highest percentage in realized that now was the time to translate into action my teering with IMC. At the time, he told me that he received ship that had been en route back to the U.S. from Banda Indonesia.) Since the tsunami, GAM had been lying low longstanding intention to do international relief work. about 30 inquiries for every volunteer who actually went Aceh and was now returning to assist the people of Nias. but were thought to be planning new attacks on the That night I went online and sent messages to several into the field and that when the time was right for me to I knew she had filled out applications with several vol- Indonesian military, so there was some possibility of relief organizations, volunteering my services. I was a bit serve I would know it. In the spring of 2005, with IMC unteer NGOs a few months earlier, and I regretted not physical danger. As our departure date drew near, we were disappointed to learn that most of them already had more having grown to over 6,000 volunteers and employees in having gotten around to doing that myself. After she left told that final field assignments would be made at IMC’s volunteers standing by than they could use, and only 20 countries, I knew it was my time. 14 Buffalo Physician Autumn 2005 Autumn 2005 Buffalo Physician 15 TOP: I was grateful I had brought a headlamp with me, as lighting at the hospital was pretty poor. A mild quake occurred as I was working on this man, and I had to have my nurses restrain him Nias Island Same Planet, a Different World Same Planet, Another World Nias Island from running outside so I could finish repairing his laceration. BOTTOM LEFT: Dozens of boats in Banda Aceh were thrown more than five miles from the Indian Ocean by the December 26, 2004, tsunami. BOTTOM RIGHT: Virtually all the buildings on Nias Island were damaged in the March 28, Indonesian headquarters in Jakarta, where we would be After a short night in Jakarta, our crew stumbled out 2005 earthquake. This building collapsed in one of the strong aftershocks. stopping overnight on our way to Banda Aceh. of bed at 4 a.m. for the three-hour flight to Banda Aceh, I wondered how I would fare as a physician in the where we were to spend another day before a flight was tropics. Practicing for the past 25 years near Lake available to Nias. Despite the heat, we were told to wear Superior, I had seen exactly two cases of malaria in my long pants and mid-length sleeves in keeping with medical career: a Christian Science couple who had just Muslim customs and Aceh provincial laws. returned from a religious mission to Africa and were Banda Aceh had a population of nearly half a million speaking at a church in our town when they became ill. before disaster struck at 9:12 a.m. on December 26, 2004. I had never seen dengue, typhoid, cholera, tetanus or The business district on the south side is shielded from Japanese encephalitis. I hadn’t even seen a case of measles the Indian Ocean by a range of hills to the west. However, or mumps in 20 years. I emailed Coleen on the USNS the densely populated residential area to the north has no Mercy and told her of my fears, and she assured me that such protection, and over 100,000 people were killed in my concerns are common among first-time relief physi- 30 seconds, more than were initially killed by atomic cians and that my lack of tropical experience would not bombs in Hiroshima or Nagasaki. be an issue at all. Nevertheless, I copied several articles on IMC had maintained active relief programs through- the subject to take with me, and I fervently hoped there out Aceh Province since the tsunami, and we had a chance were doctors along who knew more about tropical medi- to see the destruction firsthand with several of the organi- cine than I did.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Hans Harmakaputra, Interfaith Relations in Contemporary Indonesia
    Key Issues in Religion and World Affairs Interfaith Relations in Contemporary Indonesia: Challenges and Progress Hans Abdiel Harmakaputra PhD Student in Comparative Theology, Boston College I. Introduction In February 2014 Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) published a report concerning the rise of religious intolerance across Indonesia. Entitled Indonesia: Pluralism in Peril,1 this study portrays the problems plaguing interfaith relations in Indonesia, where many religious minorities suffer from persecution and injustice. The report lists five main factors contributing to the rise of religious intolerance: (1) the spread of extremist ideology through media channels, such as the internet, religious pamphlets, DVDs, and other means, funded from inside and outside the country; (2) the attitude of local, provincial, and national authorities; (3) the implementation of discriminatory laws and regulations; (4) weakness of law enforcement on the part of police and the judiciary in cases where religious minorities are victimized; and (5) the unwillingness of a “silent majority” to speak out against intolerance.2 This list of factors shows that the government bears considerable responsibility. Nevertheless, the hope for a better way to manage Indonesia’s diversity was one reason why Joko Widodo was elected president of the Republic of Indonesia in October 2014. Joko Widodo (popularly known as “Jokowi”) is a popular leader with a relatively positive governing record. He was the mayor of Surakarta (Solo) from 2005 to 2012, and then the governor of Jakarta from 2012 to 2014. People had great expectations for Jokowi’s administration, and there have been positive improvements during his term. However, Human Rights Watch (HRW) World Report 2016 presents negative data regarding his record on human rights in the year 2015, including those pertaining to interfaith relations.3 The document 1 The pdf version of the report can be downloaded freely from Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “Indonesia: Pluralism in Peril,” February 14, 2014.
    [Show full text]
  • CHAPTER V CLOSING 5.1 Conclusion Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship Has Become a Phenomenon That Is Widely Found in All Parts of T
    CHAPTER V CLOSING 5.1 Conclusion Ethnic minority entrepreneurship has become a phenomenon that is widely found in all parts of the world. This type of entrepreneurship is driven by migration out of the place of origin to get better opportunities in other areas. The movement that occurs causes people from one ethnic group to join with other ethnic groups in the destination. This assimilation causes ethnic migrants to be outnumbered by local ethnic groups in the destination that have been there for a long time. This has led to the term ethnic minority. Efforts to earn income through doing business by ethnic minority then formed the term ethnic minority entrepreneurship. Nias is an ethnic who has a long history with West Sumatra area, especially the city of Padang. Although still outnumbered by Minangkabau ethnicity, Nias people in Padang City already have strong roots because of the nature of Nias people who have a strong sense of kinship. From an economic standpoint, over time, progressive changes have been found in the economic order of the Nias community in the city of Padang. In the past Nias people only worked as farmers, becoming fishermen or laborers in the city of Padang. Now, Nias people in Padang who are a minority have found livelihoods in various fields, including entrepreneurship. Those who originally came with limited language differences, mediocre education and did not have the capital managed to make a 132 decent living and raise the dignity of their ancestors who had set foot first in the city of Padang with low standard of life.
    [Show full text]
  • North Nias Regency
    LAFAU BEACH MAP NORTH NIAS REGENCY NORTH NIAS REGENCY NIAS ISLAND NIAS ISLAND WEST NUSA TENGGARA PROVINCE Pasir Berbunyi Beach Tureloto Beach Lotu Lafau Beach Gunung Sitoli C. TURELOTO BEACH Binaka Airport Coordinate : 1°25’49,65‘’ N & 97°8‘29,95’‘E Tourism Business Opportunities (including the investment code for every business ield): Gido a. Star hotel (5511) Lahomi b. Food and Beverages Service : Restaurant (56101), Café (56303) & Bar (56301) c. Spa (96122) and Villa (55194) Lolomatua Mountain d. Sport Facilities: Tennis Field (93116) and Golf Course (93112) e. Recreational Park (93232) and Theme Park (93210) f. Organization of Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition (82301) g. Enclave Management (91022) of the “Living Road history” ethnic village Hinako Archipelago INVITATION TO INVEST IN TOURISM BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AT : Teluk Dalam ADDRESS Deputy for Tourism Destination and Tourism Industry Development Sapta Pesona Building, 4th Floor Contact Us : INDONESIA Jl. Merdeka Barat No. 17 [email protected] Jakarta Pusat 10110 [email protected] Indonesia T : +62 21 3838040, 3838029 www.kemenpar.go.id F : +62 21 34833865 www.indonesia-tourism-investment.com PRESENTING NORTH NIAS REGENCY, NIAS ISLAND, NORTH SUMATRA PROVINCE. MARKETING 2. TOURISM DEVELOPMENT In order to optimize the tourism development in Nias 1. DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW Island, the local government implemented several marketing strategy as follows: a. Quality and quantity improvement of the Nias A. PASIR BERBUNYI BEACH Island tourism marketing program through a Coordinate : 1°29’22,71‘’ N & 97°20‘54,73’‘E wide variety of media promotion and extend its Tourism Business Opportunities (including the reach.
    [Show full text]
  • Tiga Tipe Tata Ruang Desa Tradisional Di Nias Selatan, Sumatera Utara
    KALPATARU, Majalah Arkeologi Vol. 28 No.2, November 2019 (45-60) TIGA TIPE TATA RUANG DESA TRADISIONAL DI NIAS SELATAN, SUMATERA UTARA Three Types of Spatial Patterns in South Nias Traditional Villages, North Sumatera Elyada Wigati Pramaresti Museum Ullen Sentalu, Jalan Boyong KM. 25, Kaliurang Barat, Hargobinangun, Kabupaten Sleman, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta [email protected] Naskah diterima : 31 Juli 2019 Naskah diperiksa : 10 Agustus 2019 Naskah disetujui : 29 Oktober 2019 Abstract. South Nias is one of many regions in Indonesia that still mantains the existence of traditional settlement. Villages in this regency have unique characteristic shown from their linear forms with two rows of houses facing each other. Although the villages all seem similar, but in fact, there are three different spatial patterns. This research would be related with the disparity of these traditional settlement patterns. Qualitative method was used in this research by obtaining data through field observations, interviews, and literature study. The result reveals that the traditional settlement patterns were in the shapes of branched linear, I-shaped linear, and T-shaped linear. This classification was based on the variation of shapes and location of the village material components. Another purpose in this research is to do a documentation about South Nias traditional villages including their original components which become scarce nowadays due to being damaged by natural factors or deliberately replaced by modern components. Keywords: South Nias, Traditional Village, Spatial Pattern Abstrak. Nias Selatan adalah salah satu wilayah di Indonesia yang masih mempertahankan keberadaan permukiman tradisional. Desa-desa yang ditemukan di kabupaten tersebut memiliki karakteristik yang unik, yaitu berbentuk linear dengan dua baris rumah yang saling berhadapan.
    [Show full text]
  • Circumnavigation of Sumatra an In-Depth Exploration of the Wonders of Sumatra Aboard the MS Caledonian Sky 8Th to 24Th October 2016 Clown Fish Lake Toba
    LAUNCH OFFER - SAVE UP TO £1000 PER PERSON Circumnavigation of Sumatra An in-depthaboard exploration the MSth ofOctober Caledonian the wonders 2016 Sky of Sumatra 8th to 24 Clown Fish Lake Toba oin us for a rare event, a circumnavigation of the world’s Our View sixth largest island. Opportunities to visit Sumatra, a land of After our successful voyages MALAYSIA J Gunung Leuser history and mystery are scarce and are usually limited to one around Sumatra in 2013, we Banda Aceh National Park region of the island. Our visit in the autumn of 2016 will be all are delighted to be returning Belawan once again with an in-depth Medan encompassing and include opportunities to see orangutans in Simeulue Islands Malacca exploration of the island. Lake Toba Nias Island their natural habitat, to snorkel over coral reefs, to visit remote Separated from mainland Asia Singapore Bukittinggi by the Strait of Malacca and from islands where native indigenous people still live in isolation, SUMATRA free to practice their timeless tribal lore and to explore where Java by the Strait of Sunda, Sumatra Siberut Island Padang lies at the heart of geological and few have been before. Our voyage will be one of contrasts, Bengkulu Belitung cultural crossroads. Spectacular Islands from lush rainforests to diverse cultures, spectacular wildlife volcanoes and mysterious calderas Krakatau and an intriguing history, all of which will be made all the more are many along the Barisan Island captivating by our onboard expedition team who are experts in Mountains, the long spinal range of Marco Polo and is often the island following Sumatra’s west referred to as the Isle of Gold: the natural world.
    [Show full text]
  • BAB IV RUANG KETIGA PERJUMPAAN NIAS PADANG KRISTEN DAN MINANGKABAU MUSLIM 4.1. Pendahuluan Salah Satu Bukti Yang Dapat Menunjukk
    76 BAB IV RUANG KETIGA PERJUMPAAN NIAS PADANG KRISTEN DAN MINANGKABAU MUSLIM 4.1. Pendahuluan Salah satu bukti yang dapat menunjukkan kuatnya pengaruh Islam di kota Padang adalah ketiadaan tersedianya pilihan mata pelajaran agama lain selain Islam di sekolah negeri. Akibatnya ketika jadwal mata pelajaran agama berlangsung maka tidak jarang siswa dan siswi non-muslim diberi izin ke perpustakaan untuk menggunakan jam pelajaran tersebut atau bahkan diperbolehkan pulang duluan jikalau jadwalnya terletak di akhir jam pelajaran. Hal ini menuntut siswa dan siswi non-muslim harus memiliki cara lain untuk mendapatkan haknya yaitu memperoleh ilmu dari mata pelajaran agama yang merupakan mata pelajaran wajib. Situasi ini juga dialami oleh anak-anak Nias Padang Kristen yang memilih bersekolah di sekolah negeri. Masalah ini pun ditanggapi oleh pihak gereja yang merupakan lembaga keagamaan dan bekerjasama dengan departemen agama kota Padang. Gereja BNKP yang ada di Padang memberikan solusi kepada anggota jemaat yang menjadi siswa dan siswi sekolah negeri dengan menyediakan tenaga pengajar untuk mata pelajaran agama Kristen. Selain itu, departemen agama juga mengeluarkan blanko penilaian yang sah kepada pihak gereja untuk dapat memenuhi kebutuhan siswa dan siswi dalam penilaian raport di sekolah negeri. Sikap ini 77 merupakan satu dari sekian banyak hal yang terjadi di dalam ruang ketiga orang Nias Padang Kristen. Tindakan ini menjadi strategi yang mampu membantu mereka untuk dapat bertahan sebagai masyarakat diaspora dan minoritas. Bhabha mengatakan dalam teorinya bahwa hal yang dilakukan oleh pihak terjajah di dalam ruang ketiga merupakan sesuatu yang “beyond” dimana ia tidak meninggalkan masa lalu namun juga tidak sepenuhnya menyerahkan diri kepada hal yang baru.
    [Show full text]
  • A STUDY of the NIAS REVIVAL in INDONESIA Julia Theis Dermawan 1. Introduction in the Years Betwe
    [AJPS 6:2 (2003), pp. 247-263] A STUDY OF THE NIAS REVIVAL IN INDONESIA Julia Theis Dermawan 1. Introduction In the years between 1915 and 1940, the Niasan church in Indonesia rapidly grew. During this twenty-five year period, between the Golden Jubilee and the Diamond Jubilee, the number of baptized believers in Nias increased from about 20,000 to 135,000. The great revival movement that occurred in the island caused this phenomenal growth. Known as the Fangesa Dodo (“the Great Repentance”),1 it manifested a great conviction for and confession of sin. This paper is a historical report on the Nias revival from available sources and will show how it contributed to the overall growth of the church. This paper has also a pragmatic purpose: to remind all Asian Christians of the importance of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the growth of Christianity in Asia today. 2. The Location of the Revival 2.1 Geography Nias is the largest of a chain of Indonesian islands in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Sumatra. It has an area of 1,569 square miles (or 4,064 sq. km) and is subject to earthquakes. The chief town is Gunung Sitoli on the northeast coast.2 1 Lee Ira Bruckner, “The History and Character of the Niasan People Movement in Indonesia, 1865-1940” (D.Miss. dissertation, Fuller Theological Seminary, 1979), p. 86. 2 “Nias,” The Encyclopedia Americana International Edition (Danbury, Conn.: Grolier, c1997), vol. 20, p. 300. 248 Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies 6:2 (2003) 2.2 People Most of the 400,000 people are descendants of Proto-Malays who built megalithic tombs all over the island.
    [Show full text]
  • Originating Outside the Island, Westerners As Well As Non-Westerners, on the Other
    ACCULTURATION IN TANG NIHA (THE ISLAND OF NIAS)I James Danandj aj a University of Indonesia, Djakarta Acculturation on' Nias is discussed with special attention to religion and the role of missionaries as agents of change. The traditional social organization and religion are reviewed, followed by an examination of the processes of Dutch colonization and missionization by German Protest- ants. The role of an indigenous revitalization movement in the Christianization of Nias is dis- cussed at length. Finally, the Nias case is placed within a broader framework of acculturation and change. (acculturation, Christianity, colonial- ism, culture change, culture contact, Indonesia, Nias, religion, revitalization movements) I. INTRODUCTION The topic of this paper is acculturation on the island of Nias. Nias is a small island of 4,000 square kilometers, located off the west coast of Sumatra in the Republic of Indonesia. By acculturation I mean what Robert Redfield, Ralph Linton, and Melville J. Herskovits (1936) defined as: "Those phenomena which result when groups of individuals having different cultures come into continuous first-hand contact, with subsequent changes in the original cultural patterns of either or both groups." I shall discuss acculturation in terms of the culture of the indigenous people of Nias on the one hand, and the cultures of immigrants originating outside the island, Westerners as well as non-Westerners, on the other. The Westerners include Dutch and British colonial officers (civil as well as military) and German Protestant missionaries. The non-Westerners include other Indonesian ethnic groups, such as the Atjehnese traders and slavers, Minangkabau traders, Buginese migrants, Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • NIAS: EARTHQUAKE 31 March 2005
    NIAS: EARTHQUAKE 31 March 2005 The Federation’s mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 181 countries. In Brief This Information Bulletin (no. 05/2005) is being issued for information only. The Federation is not seeking additional funding from donors for this operation at this time. For further information specifically related to this operation please contact: • Indonesia: Ole J Hauge, Head of Delegation; phone: +622.1791. 91 841; mobile: +628 11 824 859; fax: +622 179180 905; email: [email protected] and Latifur Rahman, Disaster Management Delegate; phone: +62.811.82.6614;fax: +62.217.18.0905 email: [email protected] • In Geneva: Jasna Djordjevic, Southeast Asia Desk (Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia) a.i.,Geneva; phone: +41.22.730.4829; fax:+41.22.733.0395; email: [email protected] • In Geneva: Josse Gillijns, Regional Officer for Eastern Africa, Africa Dept.; email: [email protected]; Phone:+41.22.730.42.24; Fax: +41.22.733.03.95 • Media Department: Sian Bowen, phone: + 41.22.730.4428; email: [email protected] All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, or for a full description of the national society profile, please access the Federation’s website at http://www.ifrc.org The Situation An earthquake measuring up to 8.7 on the Richter scale that devastated the island of Nias in Aceh Province has claimed a confirmed 500 lives and severely damaged concrete buildings and infrastructure.
    [Show full text]
  • Museum of Nias Earthquake (Vernacular Architecture)
    International Journal of Architecture and Urbanism Vol. 03, No. 02, 2019 | 132 – 139 Museum of Nias Earthquake (Vernacular Architecture) Oscar A. Halawa1*, Nelson Siahaan1 1Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia Abstract. Museum of Nias Earthquake is about a place to reintroduce local wisdom from Nias Island that related to their history and traditional building technology in response to earthquake disasters, with the aim of education and tourism. Nowadays, modern civilization marginalized a local culture. Vernacular themes are a solution in presenting the results of local-themed design. It will become an example of how to apply the local wisdom in contemporary building design, with the aim of reintroducing local sense. To achieve a vernacular theme, it started by using local materials, abstraction of local traditional houses, application of symbols and meanings from traditional building cosmology, and using observation and literature methodology. The result of this design is to meet the community needs for tourism objects that have a locality feel in Gunungsitoli City, Nias. Keywords: earthquake, local wisdom, museum, tourism, vernacularism. 1. Introduction Indonesia as the largest archipelago country in the world has the most extensive coastal line as well. The state has many cultures, traditions, and ethnicity that spread over 13,487 islands and one of them is The Nias Islands. This small archipelago located on the western tip of Sumatra Island has an area over 5,625 km3 and a population of nearly 900,000. The livelihoods on this island rely heavily on the agricultural sectors, such as rubber, coconut, and coffee, etc.
    [Show full text]
  • Nias Island, West Sumatra Richard W
    JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 113, B12406, doi:10.1029/2008JB005684, 2008 Click Here for Full Article Persistent elastic behavior above a megathrust rupture patch: Nias island, West Sumatra Richard W. Briggs,1,2 Kerry Sieh,1,3 William H. Amidon,1 John Galetzka,1 Dudi Prayudi,4 Imam Suprihanto,5 Nugraha Sastra,4 Bambang Suwargadi,4 Danny Natawidjaja,4 and Thomas G. Farr6 Received 11 March 2008; revised 24 July 2008; accepted 17 September 2008; published 12 December 2008. [1] We quantify fore-arc deformation using fossil reefs to test the assumption commonly made in seismic cycle models that anelastic deformation of the fore arc is negligible. Elevated coral microatolls, paleoreef flats, and chenier plains show that the Sumatran outer arc island of Nias has experienced a complex pattern of relatively slow long-term uplift and subsidence during the Holocene epoch. This same island rose up to 2.9 m during the Mw 8.7 Sunda megathrust rupture in 2005. The mismatch between the 2005 and Holocene uplift patterns, along with the overall low rates of Holocene deformation, reflects the dominance of elastic strain accumulation and release along this section of the Sunda outer arc high and the relatively subordinate role of upper plate deformation in accommodating long-term plate convergence. The fraction of 2005 uplift that will be retained permanently is generally <4% for sites that experienced more than 0.25 m of coseismic uplift. Average uplift rates since the mid-Holocene range from 1.5 to 0.2 mm/a and are highest on the eastern coast of Nias, where coseismic uplift was nearlyÀ zero in 2005.
    [Show full text]
  • GPS-Based Slip Models of One Mw 7.2 and Twenty Moderate Earthquakes
    Wong et al. Geosci. Lett. (2019) 6:8 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40562-019-0138-y RESEARCH LETTER Open Access GPS-based slip models of one Mw 7.2 and twenty moderate earthquakes along the Sumatran plate boundary Nathanael Z. Wong1, Lujia Feng2* and Emma M. Hill1,2 Abstract Earthquake-induced deformation along the Sumatran plate boundary has been monitored by the Sumatran GPS Array (SuGAr) since 2002. This continuous GPS network recorded the coseismic deformation of 10 earthquakes with moment magnitude (Mw) larger than 7 and 20 with Mw in the range of 5.9–7 from 2002 to 2013. Among all these recorded events, one large Mw 7.2 event and most of the moderate ones (5.9 Mw < 7) have yet to be modeled with available GPS data. This is partially due to the limited number ( 4) of stations≤ that recorded each event. In this paper, we explore the possibility of using the limited observations to≤ derive sensible slip models for these “forgotten” Sumatran events. We model each event as a single rectangular patch of uniform slip and constrain most of the patch parameters using external information based on slab geometry and global teleseismic catalogs. For each event, we use a grid-search approach to fnd the preferred location of slip patches, which we present along with contours of error-weighted variance explained to indicate the uncertainties. We compare the center locations of our fnal slip patches with the centroid locations from the global Centroid Moment Tensor (gCMT) catalog and the epicenter loca- tions from four other global catalogs.
    [Show full text]