Save the Children has launched an appeal to save lives and alleviate the suffering of children and families affected by Friday’s devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
So far 844 people have tragically lost their lives, with nearly 100 people reported as still missing.
More than 1.5 million people have been impacted by the disaster, including at least 600,000 children. Nearly 50,000 of these people have been displaced from their homes and are in 103 evacuation sites.
Save the Children is working with local partner Yayasan Sayangi Tunas Cilik (YSTC) which, in the coming days, will set up what’s known as ‘child friendly spaces’ to provide children with respite from the chaos outside and the support needed to help them piece their lives back together.
We will also be:
- Distributing emergency supplies like plastic sheeting and ropes for temporary shelter to keep families safe if they have lost their homes.
- Providing families with household items like pots and pans, and with essential hygiene items to help prevent the spread of deadly diseases.
- The team will also work with other agencies and the government to conduct a rapid assessment of the situation.
Save the Children has been working in Indonesia since 1976, and has a long history of responding to humanitarian disasters in the country, including the recent earthquakes in Lombok and the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.
Donations to Save the Children Australia’s Sulawesi appeal can be made at this link:
https://www.savethechildren.org.au/tsunami
For interviews, call Jess Brennan on 0421 334 918