Natural Disasters Strike Indonesia Leaving Thousands Dead

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Sarah McQuaid

There are thousands of people left dead in Indonesia after a tsunami struck Sulawesi. Flooding and water levels have traumatized the region.

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake resulted in waves up to six meters high and have struck the city of Palu in Indonesia. Authorities warn that the death count could continue to rise if people are not careful in the current drastic conditions. Citizens need to make sure they have supplies such as food and water as well as a safe shelter. Refugee-camp shelters have been set up.

Over 2,000 have died, more are hospitalized and over 70,000 have been made homeless because of this incident. Victims of this natural disaster have been difficult to reach and rescue due to the fallen buildings and rubble that have been washed around by waves of water and mud.

Of those who have been officially confirmed dead, only about a third have received any kind of burial, some in mass graves high in the hills surrounding the city and a lucky few by family members who found them. Thousands more may be dead, buried in mud.

All across the region are signs, some hung on fences and some held up by weary survivors, continue to beg for help: “We’re hungry,” “Don’t forget us,” “We are victims too,” read the signs.

President Joko Widodo of Indonesia recently stated that, “The most important thing in a post-disaster situation is fast handling!” There have been thousands of people deployed at the scene of the disaster that have done their best to bring food, fuel and medicine to the victims of the event.