JAKARTA, Sumatra - Thousands of people are suffering from hunger in the District of Pariaman Padang (West Sumatra), after the earthquake that hit the area on 30 September. Because of the destruction caused by the earthquake to roads and bridges, the first aid arrived only on 4 October, carried on the rescuers’ backs.
Michael Utama, a leading Catholic involved in the rescue operation, said that 'there are only ruins. No electricity, no drinking water. Some villages were destroyed, others literally disappeared'. The Church of Padang is at the forefront in delivering aid to the population along with several Catholic organizations in the district and the island.