I haven't blogged in awhile but I just wanted to let you know I'm alive and well just way busy.... but surfaid really needs your help....

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Dear SurfAid Supporters:

As some of you have heard, Western Sumatra experienced a powerful earthquake a few
hours ago, measuring 8.4 on the Richter scale. Details are still filtering in but
the epicenter appears to be about a 100 miles south of SurfAid's beneficiary
communities of the Mentawai Islands. Reports indicate nine people have lost their
lives and a small tsunami has hit the port city of Padang.

SurfAid is staying on top of the situation and obviously our thoughts are focused on
our staff and beneficiaries in the islands.

Below is a message from Kirk Willcox, SurfAid International's Marketing and
Communications Director, residing in Padang:

"It was a big one - 7.9 (now 8.2). Praem and the team at Tuapejat (in the Mentawai
Islands) went to higher ground in case of a tsunami. No reports of casualties or
damage there from her early text message. Bart (SurfAid's Indonesian Country
Director) also spoke to the Nias team and all OK there. But I was just speaking to
Bart - it's now 11.30pm and the quake happened a bit after 6pm, just before dark -
and he's heard a 6.6 aftershock has been centred near Sikakap (S. Mentawai) and
reports of damage around the harbour.

But it's night so we won't know until the morning. Communications are very
difficult as you'd imagine - difficult at best of times out there.

We just got power on in my house/office in Padang after five hours.

We were all in the office about 6.10pm or so - Ad, Sabar, Wahidah, Flor and Santi -
and it started to shake, just a tremble at first, and then got stronger. Everyone
ran onto the road outside and it started rolling like a snake, up and down, and cars
rocking side to side as though people were pushing them, and the big electricity
tower behind was swaying ... a wind chime in my house was still swinging side to
side after I came back in when it settled down. And after it, it felt like that
feeling you have when you get off a boat, that swaying motion where your equilibrium
is a bit off.

Locals said it was a big one for Padang. A few of my neighbours are pretty rattled."

SurfAid will continue to provide relevant updates as our assessment of the situation
progresses. Thanks for your support.