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Safe Water After Disaster in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Countries
Indonesia
Sources
Water Mission
Publication date
Origin
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On January 15th, 2021, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the western coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It triggered landslides and an estimated 40 aftershocks on the island, causing injury and even death. Hundreds of homes and buildings were destroyed, displacing more than 40,000 people. Many fled to temporary tent shelters made of tarp, which were poor protection from the heavy monsoon rains that followed. 

Water Mission has been serving in Indonesia since 2005. With your support, our in-country staff responded to the crisis immediately. Our engineers set up a mobile, generator-run Living Water Treatment System to provide emergency daily water access to those who lacked it.

Despite heavy rains and destroyed roads, our teams also trucked safe water into four tent camps. Within days of the earthquake, we had identified a centralized water source and installed an additional water treatment system to provide reliable safe water in affected communities.  

Our work in Sulawesi is ongoing, as we actively coordinate with the local government and other aid organizations on the ground. Water Mission continues to support these communities as they rebuild, just as we did when responding to devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in the area in 2004 and 2018.

As Andi, a Palu resident, explained after Water Mission's disaster relief efforts in 2018, "So many people are glad to get water here and they can just come and take it at the stand. It makes me feel very happy because they have their needs met."

Thank you to all who have come alongside Water Mission, enabling us to respond quickly to disasters with safe water solutions when and where they are needed most. We invite you to join us in being the hands and feet of Christ as critical needs arise around the world.