Humanitarian Community supports Indonesian Govt response

Humanitarian Community supports Government response to Central Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami

02 October 2018 (Jakarta): The United Nations (UN), and wider humanitarian community in Indonesia, stands ready to support the Government of Indonesia as it responds to the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck central Sulawesi on 28 September.

On 1 October, the Government of Indonesia, through the national disaster management agency (BNPB) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed specific offers of international assistance that are in line with identified humanitarian needs on the ground. Since the disaster happened, humanitarian agencies have been in close communication with the Government to more fully understand the situation in the affected areas and stand ready to provide whatever support may be required.

The response to the earthquake and tsunami is being coordinated by BNPB and the regional disaster management agency (BPBD), under the overall leadership of the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs. Humanitarian actors, including the Red Cross, NGOs and UN agencies, are already on the ground or en route to the affected areas to provide immediate relief assistance and to conduct assessments to better understand the immediate needs.

UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, Ms. Anita Nirody said, “The Government of Indonesia has significant experience and capacity to manage natural disasters, but given the scale and complexity of this emergency combined with the response to the recent series of earthquakes in Lombok and the residual needs there, UN agencies and NGOs are working closely with Government ministries to provide all necessary technical support.”

As a result of the earthquake and tsunami, 844 people are already known to have died and more than 48,000 people have left their homes and are staying in displacement sites. These numbers are expected to rise as information continues to come in from the affected areas.

“Following the disaster, roads and bridges have been destroyed, communication lines are down, and landslides have left many areas inaccessible. As a result, it has been difficult to get information about the situation on the ground out, and to get aid and people in,” said Ms. Nirody.

“With so many people having lost all their possessions and with many basic services down, there is also an urgent and immediate need for food, clean water, shelter, medical care and psychosocial support.”

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