Page last updated at 16:15 GMT, Tuesday, 4 January 2005

Asian quake - Responses

INDONESIA

Thousands are missing and millions are homeless following the Asia earthquake that has killed tens of thousands of people.

Readers of the BBC News website have been sending in their responses to appeals for news of missing persons.


Here are the responses received so far:

Reply for Faye Lawrence, UK, England,whose request appears on the Indonesian missing persons list.I have checked all the names of all casulaties here in Malaysia and can tell you that Nora Juswar does not appear on that list.I hope you get confirmation soon as to her being okay.
Mik, Kuala Lumpur.Malaysia

We have recieved a text message from my sister Rayner Johnston to say that she is safe and well.
Nancy Johnston, Oxford

I am pleased to say that I've heard from my friend Penny Heseltine and she and her partner are safe. Jakarta has been unaffected by the tsunami.
Julia Larsson, London, England

I have contacted Ir. Malahayati's oldest son (Abdul Haris, 13 Yrs). He, his brother (Salahuddin Hekmatyar, 11), and his sister (Anggina Fitrie Azkiya, 6 Yrs) survived and are now in Lhok Sumawe. Their house and all of their belongings are gone with the tsunami. Thank you.
Abdul Hadi, Kuala Lumpur & Malaysia

I am pleased to say that Sophie Walker is safe and well in Bali.
Natalie Clowes, Burgess Hill, Sussex

To all concerned I have heard that Rayner Johnston is fine and so are her family.
Scot Mckenzie, Bristol

Tanks god,today is my girllfriend Tan Kwi The in good healty is comming home. Tank you all.
Fred Paape, rijswijk, netherlands

i have located khair ahmed he is safe and well in bangladesh xxthankyouxx
marie, middlesbrough,england

I have now heard from Stephane Colombies and am very relieved to say he is fine. My thoughts are with those people still waiting for news.
Stephen Risness, London, England

I have spoken with my friends, Jennifer and Harold Horrocks. They are safe at home. Had left Bali just before Christmas. My prayers go out to all of you.
Jean Vanasek, Shelby, USA

The AAJ TAK TV net work from Delhi carried a visual report just now of four Indonesian young men in a boat drifting off the Indian Island of Nicobar today rescued by Indian Naval coast guard and taken to Port Blair. They are fine, one has broken leg others badly sun burnt but ok. Please contact Indian Military's Unified command in charge of rescue in Port Blair.
SV Ramani, Chennai, India

I am letting you know that I received an email today from my friend Jackie Walters and she is home and had delayed her trip, I am thankful for your support, and may God bless you all for the great work. Thanks heaps again.
Lee Davis, New Zealand

Sam Green is alive. Mr Green will fly to Madang, Papua New Guinea, this week after being found on Nasi Island, about 1400km west of Jakarta. I would like to get in contact with him and his family if possible.
Shanna, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Rebecca Dauncey Missing: a message for pete & carol Mcnaughton and Pat Bird, details from Pulau Weh, Aceh, are posted at the following site www.rubiah.com its set up by and has comments on the site from people who know Becky.
jeff webb, brighton, u.k.

I posted a message to ask for news of Caroline Gilfillan. I have since heard from her and she is safe and sound. thank you for posting the original message. Catherine Russ
Catherine Russ, London, England

Laligne- Father just emailed me, daughter and friend safe and well . They had moved from Malaysia to Thailand just after the tsunami, and just contacted him.. so dont give up hope on others.This news took one week to get.
mary, USA

I am happy to report that our Church, Lakewood United Methodist, has now heard from the daughter Pam (here in Cleveland, Ohio, USA). Pam heard from her mother Betty Canant and daughter Sandy that they are OK in Indonesia. They had left Jakarta on December 26 when the tsunami struck, and they were going to Bali. They are due back in Ohio, USA, January 5th. Thanks for your concern and prayers.
Rev. Ginny Vigrass, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

I am very glad to report that our friend Alex Roberts has phoned Fathi this morning 31/12/04, he is safe with his wife and doughter Aisha, he said everyone is OK in Pulau Weh Island.
Dr Mohammed Burghli, Worthing, England

Have just received word that Darrin Charmley and Erin Prescott are okay. Thanks and best of luck to those of you still searching.
Jaime and Samuel, Victoria, Canada

RESPONSE for Shelley,Youngblood USA in regards to Crystal Geary: Crystal was traveling with my daughter Courtney to Indonesia on Dec. 26th. Their flight arrived in Jakarta at 21:40 on the 26th. I am assuming they did not change plans in the last 60 days. They should be OK. However, I have not heard from Courtney. Kindly keep the faith. Regards.
Charles Maurer, Yardley, USA

I have just received an e-mail that my cousin Bernadine Leahy from Fulham has had a safe holiday in Indonesia. I questioned her whereabouts yesterday as all her family have been concerned
Rebecca Heffernan, Epsom, England

News from Pulau Weh: RACHEL HARRISON, the tourist areas of Gapang and Iboih have been completely destroyed, however the Sabang area is still intact, and the whole island of Pulau Weh has had only 10 confirmed fatalities depite its proximity to the epicentre. TON & MARJAN ARE ALIVE, i have been informed by survivors and the Dutch embassy. The people in Gapang and Iboih fled uphill when they felt the tremors and managed to get to safe heights before the Tsunamis hit. A few tourists remain in the area to help. They include 1 Japanese, 2 Malaysian, 2 Austrian, 1 Canadian, and 2 German, as far as I'm aware. Communications in the area have yet to be restored.
Debby Ng, Singapore

I sent a mail in looking for Tony Hawkins and Annie Filleau. We have learnt today via a 'phone call that they left Sumatra on the 25th and were out diving in Western Indonesia this week and so are OK.
Nicki Speed-Miquel, Paris, France

For Jonathan Hunter, Bali. Indinesia. Thank you very much for your message we are so relieved, and thank you for all your effort. Sheila and Bob Chambers
Sheila Chambers, Newton Abbot. Devon.uk

Thank so much Harlyn Sianturi for your note.
Melanie Quinn, Phoenixville, PA USA

Bunga usually goes to Bali which is not affected by the tsunami. I am sure she is OK is she went there Natasha (my daughter) believes she would meet her in Bali. Natasha went there on 26th December. Jenny Beebe is also more likely to have gone to Bali than to Thailand. Let's hope all is OK for them and pray for those who are not OK
Tishy Bruce, Brisbane Qld, Australia

In answer to Lova Dalton, Smithfield, USA; Jakarta is save, the people there harldy felt anything of the tsunami at all. I heard it was rainig terribly that day and therefor the phones and the internet weren't working well.
L. Janssen, The Netherlands

Just found out the McGalliards are home and safe.
Jennifer Haley, Maple Valley, WA, USA

To Henry, Joan and Kathleen Nicholson who posted about their son: I have travelled through Sumatra extensively, and can tell you that the Maninjau area would be far from danger. It has a very high elevation. It is most likely the case that your son does not have the means to call home just yet.
James Rickert, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Response to Melanie Quinn, Phoenixville, USA: Tarakan is on a different island called Borneo, it is very close to where I live. Tarakan is totally safe. Please wait for a couple of days for your friend Tim to call you, ok?
Harlyn Sianturi, Sangatta, Indonesia

For Sheila and Bob Chambers in Devon, UK: Eugenio Sola, a VSO Indonesia volunteer is working on the island of Java which was unaffected by either the earthquake or subsequent tsunami. Eugenio is working in a mountainous area with limited access to communication, including mobile phone access. I have left a message with Eugenio to contact you as soon as possible.
Jonathan Hunter, Bali, Indonesia

To Lova Dalton, Smithfield, USA: I called my mom in law in Jakarta on the 26 and 29 December, she said Jakarta had no damage at all. She lives in a penthouse on the 28th floor in south Jakarta and there have been no aftershocks so far. Hope your husband is ok.
Richard Lim, Aurora, CO, USA.

In response to those who have relatives and friends in Jakarta, I have godparents there that I have heard from. Jakarta and nearby Bogor have not been affected by the earthquake. Bogor is up in the mountains and was therefore protected from the tsunami. Unless your friends were travelling in Aceh (very unlikely given the political situation), they should be fine.
Kristin Wickersham, Richmond, USA

I live in Jakarta and thankfully we are not affected by the earthquake. Any relations/friends in parts of Indonesia other than Aceh should be safe. Regarding Alan Dalton, I have checked at the Mariott hotel and no such person was registered under this name over the last week. Incidentally, I am from Madras, and my home is in Valmikki Nagar which is on the beach. Fortunately my folks are safe.
Malcolm Dsouza, Jakarta, Indonesia

The Indonesian Area hit by quake/tsunami are the Aceh province and south coast of North Sumatra province. The rest of them didn't get any impact from the quake. Your relatives and friends in Tarakan, Jakarta, Bali and other parts of Indonesia should be safe.
Lina Widodo, Jakarta, Indonesia

We are mailing from Enercon Systems Pvt Ltd Bangalore. We have our colleague Mr AK Padmanabhan in Banda Aceh at our client's place - Lafarge Cement in Indonesia. We are not able to establish any communication to there, so kindly inform about his situation.
Ambarish, Bangalore and India

Replying to the request from Henry, Joan and Kathaleen Nicholson asking for information about the area around Lake Maninjau. Lake Maninjau is in West Sumatra Province in Sumatra Island. It's quite far from Aceh, where the earthquake and tsunami happened. The place (Maninjau area) is still safe. I think if your son, Nick is in that area now, there's nothing to worried then.
Faisal Agusalim, Muara Bungo, Jambi, Sumatra

I was in Pulau Weh when the tsunami struck, in the ferry on the way to Banda Aceh. We had to go back to the island. I had been staying in Gapang with Ton and Marjan. Everybody was ok in Gapang, I was told by a Canadian couple, Joanne and Greg, who were there at the time of the tsunami. Everybody was also OK in Ibioh, a British tourist and a local told me. The island is quite high and people managed to climb the hills and get saved. A police officer told me that only four people died in the whole island. Houses near the sea front have been destroyed. Phones were not working but there was still electricity, water and food in the island. Having seen the death and devastation in Banda Aceh, just across the sea from Pulau Weh, it is a real miracle.
Antonia Paradela, Out of Pulau Weh, Sumatra

For Rachael Harrison in Gran Canaria. My father is the uncle from Marjan in Pulau Weh. He heard from his sister (Marjan's mother) that they are alive but they lost everything. Ton and Marjan climbed into a tree and they saw everything flowing into the ocean. Everything is gone, but the important thing is that they are alive.
Joyce Zonderop, Pijnacker, Holland

For David Brook, Stoke on Trent and Rachael Harrison, Gran Canaria. I have news regarding Pulah Weh. Apparently everyone in Iboh, Gapang, Windlong beach and most in Sabang is OK. When they felt the earth quake, people ran to the hills so they escaped the tsunami. The beaches etc. have been destroyed, but although I don't have names of who is OK, the news coming out is that all are ok.
Anne Hayes, Brighton, UK

Just to let you know that I have information from the southern islands in the maldives. Our friends Carole and Peter Godfrey that I posted a message for are safe.
Neil Blaikie, Swanley, UK




SEE ALSO
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26 Dec 04 |  Asia-Pacific


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