Islamic Relief’s emergency response team has arrived in Padang on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and is preparing to distribute aid to those affected by the devastating earthquake.
A forceful earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck Sumatra on Wednesday, followed by a serious aftershock the next day. In Padang in the west of Sumatra, houses, markets and offices collapsed killing at least 700 people, while many thousands are still missing.
It is feared that many people who have lost their homes are stranded in surrounding fields without any protection from the weather, electricity, food or water.
Aid operations in the region are being hampered by poor communications and heavy rains and landslides, which have blocked many main roads.
Speaking from Padang, Islamic Relief’s Programme Manager, Mostafa Shadeque said, “In Padang city between 10 and 20 per cent of the buildings have been destroyed and even now there are still people who are trapped underneath the rubble. I saw many distraught relatives outside the ruins of hotels and offices waiting for news of their loved ones or waiting to recover their bodies.”
“The destruction is even worse in the villages in Padang Pariaman District. In one village 4,000 houses were destroyed and many villages have been completely razed to the ground. People we spoke to said they desperately need food, clean water and emergency shelter.”
Islamic Relief will distribute tents to 150 families as well as emergency aid including food and hygiene kits to 2,500 people in Padang Pariaman District. Our team is also assessing the current needs of the affected communities to see how we can best respond in the coming days and weeks.
Mostafa Shadeque said, “Islamic Relief has experience of working in this area having previously implemented water projects in villages in Padang. We are planning to focus our relief efforts on the rural communities who have so far received little or no aid.”