More than 1,200 people died in the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia
The death toll from the disaster in Indonesia rose as rescuers reached the scene and discovered more bodies under the rubble.
|
People in Palu stand in front of a collapsed house after the earthquake. Photo:Reuters. |
The death toll from the September 28 earthquake and tsunami has risen to more than 1,200 and is expected to continue to rise, the Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said yesterday.Straits Times.
Indonesian rescuers are racing against time to find victims still trapped under the rubble three days after the disaster. Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited Sulawesi yesterday to encourage the people there. He called on rescuers to "work day and night" to save everyone they can.
About 16,700 people were left homeless by the quake and about 2.4 million people in Donggala and Palu needed humanitarian aid. “Fuel, medical staff, electricity, food and other essentials are urgently needed for the people,” a BNPB spokesman said.
 |
| Rescuers carry the body of a deceased victim to a hospital in Palu, Sulawesi island on September 30. Photo:AFP. |
Earlier, emergency teams were unable to reach Palu, the capital of Sulawesi and the hardest-hit area, due to damage to the airport runways and air traffic control tower. However, Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie Airport was repaired and cleared yesterday to receive more relief and commercial flights.
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sulawesi island on the evening of September 28, triggering a tsunami that devastated coastal areas of Palu and Donggala. Donggala, a town completely cut off by the earthquake, is near the epicenter and authorities fear the casualties there could be catastrophic.
