Indonesia earthquake appeal donations reach £6m

GENEROUS BRITONS have donated more than £6m to the Indonesia earthquake appeal in just one day.

The death toll stands at 1,500 since last Friday’s 7.5 magnitude tremor and tsunami on the island of Sulawesi, with 200,000 more in desperate need.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched its appeal to help survivors on Thursday, with the UK Government pledging to match the first £2m donated pound for pound. Oxfam aid worker Irwan Firdaus said he was working to get seven water hydrants set up to allow refugees access to clean drinking water.

He said: “People are desperate for help because they have already spent six nights under the sky. Many are in outlying villages and they badly need food and water – there are 60,000 people spread over more than 109 locations.

“We are looking to find good locations to set up facilities so survivors can get clean drinking water in the coming days.”

DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed said donations will ensure aid workers from 14 leading UK aid charities can reach those left homeless and in urgent need of food, water and shelter.

“As the full impact of the disaster unfolds, DEC member charities and their partners are ready to help devastated communities to rebuild their lives,” he said. “We would urge people to continue donating.”

Authorities fear casualties and the number of those displaced by the disaster will continue to rise in the coming days.

Aid efforts have been hampered in the past few hours by Mount Soputan in North Sulawesi spewing ash nearly 20,000ft (6,096m) into the sky.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt’s pledge to double the first £2m in donations means the UK Government will send a total of £5m to the region, on top of sending a team of six aid workers and a plane-load of aid.