An Indonesian soldier carries an elderly woman during an evacuation on 1 October after an earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi Island. Photo: Antara Foto/Reuters.
The Caritas international network is responding with emergency assistance in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that rocked central Sulawesi, Indonesia on Friday 28 September.
More than 1400 people are confirmed dead and thousands left homeless after an earthquake, tsunami and volcano eruption devastated the Indonesian island, and the death toll is expected to rise.
The magnitude 7.7 quake struck just off the coast of Donggala in Central Sulawesi, triggering an unexpected tsunami, which devastated the city of Palu, leaving a trail of destruction in its path.
Caritas Australia – considered part of one of the largest humanitarian networks in the world –has partners, Karina Caritas Indonesia and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), on the ground.
Richard Forsythe, Caritas Australia’s Senior Programs Co-ordinator for Emergencies, said the disaster destroyed homes and businesses in Palu and also affected remote parts of Sulawesi.
“We are concerned that emergency teams have not yet reached all impacted areas, where there are no communications, and so the extent of the damage and lives lost isn’t yet known,” Mr Forsythe added.
“Strong aftershocks have also continued to hit the city of Palu, making it hard for residents struggling in the aftermath of such a devastating quake.
“We, at Caritas Australia, want to express our solidarity with the people of Indonesia – they are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.”
A woman displaced by an earthquake and tsunami cries as she waits to be evacuated on 30 September. Photo: Antara Foto/Reuters.
CRS’s country manager in Indonesia, Yenni Suryani, said the images coming out of Palu are “horrifying” and bring back memories of the devastation caused by the region’s 2004 earthquake and tsunami.
“One of the lessons we learned from that disaster is that it will take time to learn the full scope of destruction,” Ms Suryani said.
“The government is to be commended for their immediate response and the work they are doing to get information out quickly. Knowing that time is of the essence, our partners are racing to overcome extreme logistical challenges to get to the scene as fast as possible.”
Ms Suryani added that with the airport damaged, getting access to Palu and Donggala has been problematic.
“Responders and local aid groups are having to drive overland for 10 to 12 hours. This means a bottleneck for relief supplies in coming days,” she explained.
Indonesian rescue carry the body of a victim on 1 October on Sulawesi Island. Photo: Antara Foto/Reuters.
“Those long hours on the road are going to mean hours lost in getting assistance to people who need it in the next few days. Another option will be sea routes. The Ministry of Transportation is sending in relief by ship from North Sulawesi.”
CRS’s local partners, Caritas Makassar and Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Centre, are en route to Donggala and Palu in Sulawesi.
Karina Caritas Indonesia continues to monitor the situation and has established a coordination meeting with the Commission for Socio-Economic Development of Manado Diocese and Makassar Archdiocese.
Both dioceses are very close to the affected area.
“I’m worried about people who might have been washed away. Several mosques, a shopping mall and many houses have collapsed,” Ms Suryani said.
“The impact is significant, and as soon as our local partners reach affected areas and establish communication, we’ll know more about the extent of the destruction and people’s most urgent needs.”