Indonesia tsunami: an update from our response team

A few days before Christmas, Indonesia was hit by a devastating tsunami caused by a volcanic eruption. Waves crashed through towns on the Sundra Strait between Java and Sumatra on the night of 22 December. There was no warning it was coming.       

437 people were killed, 14,000 injured and more than 33,000 people have lost or had to flee from their homes.        

Hospitals, hotels and shops were also destroyed.          

Our local partner launched a response immediately, establishing the scale of the damage and how best to meet people's most urgent needs. Staff are prioritising the distribution of clean drinking water and medical care, as well as of blankets, mattresses, cooking equipment and tarpaulins for shelter.          

Tearfund’s Disaster Management Lead for Asia, Sanjeev Bhanja, said, ‘Our local partner worked quickly, with good coordination, and was able to provide lifesaving emergency aid among communities affected in the Lampung district.'         

Many communities in Indonesia were still reeling from the tsunami back in September, so this latest disaster is another setback for this country.          

PRAYER FOCUS:           

• Pray for people who have been directly affected by the tsunami – those who have lost loved ones, for the injured, for those lacking clean water and shelter. 
• Ask God to strengthen the emergency response teams including Tearfund’s partners and other humanitarian workers.
• Pray for efforts to improve tsunami warning systems and that communities would be able to be better prepared for future disasters.