The earthquake's epicentre was in the Indian ocean and the worst-hit area is the tiny island of Enggano, just off the south west coast of Sumatra. The worst-hit city was Bengkulu, in Western Sumatra, where many buildings collapsed and there has been considerable infrastructural damage. There were fears at first that the earthquake would cause a tidal wave, as was the case with the earthquake in Central Sulawesi in early May, but there has been no sign of this happening. The resources of the government and local aid organisations are being stretched to the limit. Rescue efforts have been hampered by widespread damage to electricity and telephones.
Local hospitals are overwhelmed and struggling to cope.
Medical supplies are running low. The immediate concern is for water and shelter for people whose houses have been destroyed, or who have fled their homes because of the earthquake. Fears of a further earthquake may well drive more people from their homes. Oxfam has trained local organisations in responding to emergencies, and these organisations are currently assessing the extent of the damage and how best to respond. It seems most likely that they will help provide emergency water and sanitation to prevent the spread of potentially fatal water-borne diseases amongst people who have fled their homes and are having to live out in the open.