57 000 people in Indonesia remain homeless a year after M7.5 Sulawesi earthquake, tsunami and liquefaction

A year after M7.5 earthquake, devastating tsunami, and liquefaction ravaged Sulawesi in Indonesia, approximately 57 000 residents are still homeless up to now, the Indonesian Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent Societies reported on September 23, 2019.

The multiple natural calamities happened on September 28, 2018, taking lives of 4 300 people and destroyed over 103 000 residential properties.

A year after, 57 000 people who lost their homes and agricultural properties are still unsure as to when and where they can rebuild their homes again.

Scientists were surprised that the earthquake generated such a big tsunami. Normally, large tsunamis occur after megathrust earthquakes that cause vertical displacement. But the Sulawesi earthquake occurred along a strike-slip fault, meaning the motion was horizontal.

Some scientists suspect that a submarine landslide, shaken loose by the earthquake, may have provided the energy that fueled the destructive tsunami. In addition, the narrow, finger-like shape of Palu Bay likely amplified the fast-moving surge of water and made it even more dangerous.

The affected residents have been staying in a temporary accommodation facility where they rely on relief goods and emergency assistance.

According to Arifin Hadi, Indonesian Red Cross Head of Disaster Management, their staff and volunteers have delivered relief items such as food, hygiene kits, and blankets to over 108 000 victims in the past year.

The staff has also brought drinking water to an estimated 280 000 people.

With the head of @UNinIndonesia @Anita_Nirody, and other UN agencies we met Governor Drs. H. Longki Djanggola to discuss the humanitarian response and early recovery efforts to the Central Sulawesi earthquake. pic.twitter.com/RQ0RYSiTAe

— OCHA Indonesia (@OCHAIndonesia) September 17, 2019

"We will now shift our focus on creating a more resilient community, training people to build better, stronger homes, providing permanent water sources, rebuilding health centers and helping people restore their incomes by providing livestock or boats," he stated.

The government is prompted to redouble their efforts to examine settlement areas and assist thousands of evacuees in camps for them to be able to build permanent homes that are more resilient to further calamities.

"Families still need our help to move on after this disaster," said Jan Gelfand, IFRC Indonesia Head of Country Office.

The Indonesian Red Cross alongside IFRC and partners will work together to provide the long-term recovery necessities of almost 90 000 residents in 24 of the worst-affected regions in Sulawesi through to 2021.

Volunteers and staff will also assist in awareness campaigns on health and hygiene, training for building stronger and safer homes, and disaster preparations.

$15,000 from UCC Disaster Ministries will fund 12 months of resiliency training for an entire village in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, which a year ago suffered a deadly and destructive earthquake and tsunami. https://t.co/HsLPFFffFP pic.twitter.com/erDSaTJxol

— OGHS (@OGHS_at_UCC) September 19, 2019

Hema Malini – @WahanaVisi_ID shared her experience on #cash transfers program in #shelter to support the #earthquake affected people to build #temporaryshelter or to #repair / #retrofit their houses in Sub-Cluster Shelter Coordination Meeting @ShelterCluster #Sulawesi #recovery pic.twitter.com/cWam0IODpX

— Arwin Soelaksono (@arwinsoelaksono) September 15, 2019

Featured image credit: IFRC