ReliefWeb

5 October 2018 (Jakarta): One week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) launched a Response Plan, seeking $50.5 million for immediate relief activities.

The Response Plan was developed in consultation with the Government of Indonesia counterparts, and articulates how the humanitarian community working in the country will provide targeted, technical assistance in support of the Government-led response. Released today by the Humanitarian Country Team, the Plan outlines the support that the international humanitarian community is aiming to provide to 191,000 people over the next three months.

Following the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Palu, Central Sulawesi on 28 September, more than 1,500 people are known to have died and 2,500 people have been seriously injured. There are a further 113 people who are still missing.

As a result of the disaster, it is estimated that 65,000 houses have suffered some form of damage, this includes an estimated 10,000 houses that were completely destroyed by the tsunami, as well as 15,000 houses that suffered severe earthquake damage. There are also many thousands of people who are still too afraid to stay in their houses, especially at night, due to ongoing aftershocks.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, Ms. Anita Nirody, said, “The earthquake and tsunami effectively cut off much of Palu and Donggala for several days due to landslides and damage to infrastructure, and has created significant logistical and access challenges. The Response Plan outlines not only the immediate relief items that the international humanitarian community will prioritise, but also the logistics support needed to get aid to all those who need it.”

“One week after the disaster, the full scale of the disaster and the needs are becoming clear. Affected people, especially those who have lost their homes and all their belongings, require shelter, access to clean water, healthcare and psychosocial support. The funding requested through the Response Plan will allow the international humanitarian community to more effectively support the response of the Government and local organisations.”

The Central Emergency Response Fund has already allocated $15 million to support the activities included in the Response Plan, and will fund projects in logistics, water and sanitation, camp management, health, shelter, protection, and food security and livelihoods.

The Response Plan is available to download online: https://reliefweb.int/node/2817584

For further information please contact:
Helen Mould, Public Information Officer, mould@un.org Tel. +66 63 270 9122