Tsunami hell as huge waves swamp island
Irish workers set to aid Indonesian rescue as death toll hits 832
RESCUERS last night continued their search for survivors on the Indonesian island devastated by an earthquake and tsunami.
The death toll on Sulawesi hit 832 yesterday, but there are fears it could soar into the thousands – and Irish charity workers are now set to join the rescue mission.
Harrowing mobile phone footage taken from a high balcony showed the tidal wave roaring on to a beach where a festival was being held before rushing in to the city of Palu, in the northwest of the island, after Friday’s 7.5-magnitude earthquake.
Cars, trees and buildings were swept away by the force of the water, up to six metres deep in parts. Entire families were lost and in the aftermath survivors wept in the streets as they called out for their loved ones.
Rescuers are still struggling to reach large areas of the coast where the worst of the disaster is believed to lie. ‘The death toll is believed to be increasing since many bodies are under the wreckage, while many have not been reached,’ said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, of Indonesia’s disaster agency.
The Irish Red Cross is this morning expecting to receive a request for assistance from its Indonesian counterpart as rescue efforts continue.
The charity fully expects to be part of the rescue mission, once the formal international request is made, according to Anna Marie O’Carroll, Asia desk officer with the organisation.
As of last night, there were no indications any Irish people had been killed or injured, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Irish Red Cross.
The Department of Foreign Affairs last night confirmed the Irish embassy in the Indonesian capital Jakarta was closely monitoring the situation.
The DFA said it had not received any requests for assistance. However, it did issue a travel alert, advising people to exercise a ‘high degree of caution’ in parts of Indonesia.
‘Bodies under wreckage’