汹涌的海浪、有限的能见度和船只的短缺延缓了向印尼偏远的明打威群岛输送救灾物资的努力。这个星期早些时候，该地区发生了严重的地震和海啸。恶劣的天气阻碍了为住在岛上临时营地的几千灾民渡海运送帐篷、药品、食物和水等物资的努力。即使在最好的气候条件下，到达这一群岛也需要半天多的时间。
印尼官方的安塔拉通讯社星期五说，位于苏门答腊西岸的巴东海军基地的4艘军舰计划出海运送救援物资和多日来试图到达灾区的医务人员。双重灾难造成的死亡人数已超过400人，另有300人失踪。官员们还试图应对印尼最活跃的默拉皮火山的喷发事件。该火山仍在喷发出灼热的气体和火山灰。星期二开始的火山喷发至少造成33人丧生。
印尼总统西洛.尤多约诺星期四视察了灾区，他对幸存者说，政府正在全力救灾。
Rough seas, limited visibility and a shortage of boats are slowing the delivery of disaster aid to the remote Indonesian islands of Mentawai, hit by a major earthquake and tsunami earlier this week. Bad weather has hampered efforts to ferry tents, medicine, food and water to thousands of people living in makeshift camps on the island chain, which is more than a half-day's travel in favorable conditions.
Indonesia's state-run Antara news agency says on Friday, four warships from the naval base in Padang, West Sumatra, are scheduled to set out to try and deliver aid and medical personnel, who have been attempting to reach the location for days. The death toll from the twin disasters now tops 400, with more than 300 others missing.Officials are also dealing with eruptions at Indonesia's most active volcano, Mount Merapi, which is still spewing searing gas and hot ash. At least 33 people have been killed since the volcano began erupting on Tuesday.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited the areas Thursday and told survivors the government is doing everything it could.
