With a death toll of more than 1,200, Indonesia has been struck with a series of climatic disasters. The Island of Sulawesi was hit by a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami that has displaced thousands of residents in the country. While the survivors beg the government for help with their housing and food crisis, the police have clamped down on shoplifters who tried to help their hunger after the catastrophe that destroyed their homes.
The city of Palu, being the closest to the epicenter of the earthquake, has endured most of the damage with approximately 50,000 displaced from their homes. With 380,000 calling it their home, could now be suffering huge losses of people and property. Many areas like Donggala have not been able to receive sufficient help due to impassable roads.
A resident yelled, “Pay attention to Donggala, Mr. Jokowi. Pay attention to Donggala,”; n local television addressing to the President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. With only rice provided as food to the survivors of Donggala, they tried stealing food from the local food stores for their survival. Desperation was visible among victims receiving minimal aid. Signs were put up along the road that called for help and food for the survivors and the displaced. Their children were seen begging on the streets for food.
Rescue teams are still searching for survivors under the rubble of damaged homes and buildings. Several people were believed to be trapped in the town of Balaroa. The earthquake has said to have heaved up the ground up and down causing damages in Balaroa. “About 50 people and I were able to save ourselves in Balaroa by riding on a mound of soil that kept getting higher and higher,” said
President Siti Hajat on MetroTV, adding that she also lost her house to the earthquake.
While Balaroa heaved up, in Petobo neighborhood the quake caused wet areas to further liquefy creating a thick wetlands of heavy mud causing damages to property. “The neighborhood may have hundreds of people still buried in the mud,” said Nugroho. The residents were frustrated that it took until Monday for the rescue teams to reach Petobo and recover their loved ones, both alive and dead. The earthquake of 7.5 in the Richter scale caused a tsunami that is said to have generated waves as high as 20ft in some places.
Indonesian air force have been able to rescue several survivors from Palu and moving them to Makassar. President Widodo also authorized the acceptance of any foreign aid while the United States and 10 other countries have offered assistance, including the European Union. “I would like to express deep condolences to the people and government of Indonesia; and at the same time I would like express assurance that India will cooperate in helping during this tragic time,” said Sushma Swaraj, the foreign minister of India while giving a speech at the United Nations.
Indonesia is frequently struck by volcanoes and tsunamis because of its location on the arc of the “Ring of Fire” in the Pacific basin. The widespread archipelago of more than 17,000 islands has 260 million that call it their home. But roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas, making it difficult to provide help at times of distress.
