1,424 people dead in Indonesia quake, tsunami

Palu (Indonesia): Indonesian authorities on Tuesday raised the death toll to 1,424 in the 7.5-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Sulawesi island last week. The twin disasters on Friday left the coastal city of Palu and the adjoining areas in ruins. Authorities said tens of thousands of people were growing increasingly desperate for food, fuel and water. According to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, hundreds of people may still be trapped under the rubble of buildings. Rescue teams were still not able to reach all the affected areas, the BBC reported.

With the ground still shaking from aftershocks, people were still too afraid to go indoors. An earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale rocked Sumba island of Indonesia on Tuesday, but there were no reports of any damage.

Colonel Muhammad Thohir of the Indonesian Army said that authorities need to send aid via helicopter in areas Geneva: The UN Central Emergency Response Fund has announced that it would allocate $15 million to help the victims, especially women and girls, of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that rocked Indonesia’s Sulawesi island last week. The twin disasters claimed over 1,400 lives, caused widespread damage by destroying homes, buildings and infrastructure. According to Indonesian officials, an estimated 2.4 million people were affected by the tragedy. The number of dead was expected to rise amid ongoing rescue operations. UN Under Secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said that the funds would meet the most urgent needs of women and girls because “we know from experience round the world (they) are often particularly vulnerable in circumstances like this”, Efe news reported. like Donggala, one of the towns most affected by the tsunami, as well as other districts which were not accessible to the rescuers. He said gasoline and water supplies were being transported to the Sulawesi island, but they were still insufficient for the people affected.