World Vision responds to second Indonesian disaster within weeks

Sunday, September 30, 2018

Australian NGO World Vision and partner agencies are dealing with an escalating humanitarian crisis in Sulawesi, Indonesia, following an earthquake and tsunami.

Initial reports from Indonesia’s national disaster management agency, BNPB, indicate 384 people died and 520 people have been injured after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake with a depth of 10 metres happened 27 kilometres northeast of Donggala, Central Sulawesi. The earthquake triggered a tsunami in Donggala, Palu and Mamuju areas.

“Our own staff have been affected and their own homes damaged.  We are deploying in teams but at this stage communications with Palu, on the island of Sulawesi, is extremely challenging so we, like others, are grappling with understanding the full impact of this disaster,” WV Indonesia's National Director, Doseba Sinay, said. 

Partner agency, Wahana Visi Indonesia, is deploying to the impact zone to meet the immediate needs of survivors. It’s expected shelter, food and water will be critical over the coming days.

Preliminary reports indicate infrastructure, like roads and bridges, have been severely affected, with more than 250 electricity poles damaged by the tsunami in Central Sulawesi province.

“This is the second earthquake in two months to hit Indonesia and claim hundreds of lives and cause damage. Many of our staff are currently responding to the Lombok quake of August 5 that killed more than 460 people,” Mr Sinay said.

 Initial government forecast suggests 839 villages in Central Sulawesi and 95 villages in West Sulawesi may have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

 “We are deeply concerned about the impact of this on children who at this stage will be terrified of the aftershocks and struggling to cope with the uncertainty and loss of loved ones,” Mr Sinay, said.

(Link to photos: damage in Silae district.)

 

For more information or for interview requests, contact:

Brianna Piazza (Emergencies Communications Officer) 0408 624 934, brianna.piazza@worldvision.com.au

or Ruth Lamperd (News Editor) 0417 765 947, ruth.lamperd@worldvision.com.au

 

Picture:  Damage in Silae district, after devastation from an earthquake and tsunami.

 

 

Media Releases, Asia and the Pacific, Humanitarian, Indonesia, Tsunami, World Vision

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