Quake, tsunami relief under way
An aerial survey by Ethnos360 partners located some tsunami damage outside Sulawesi’s provincial capital, Palu, but more research will need to be done to identify needs outside the city.
On Friday, Sept. 28, a major earthquake struck Sulawesi, an island in Indonesia. Shortly afterward, a tsunami, magnified by the fact that Palu sits at the south end of a narrow bay, struck the coast. Since then, the city has been hit with more than 100 aftershocks. The death toll has topped 1,000, and many bodies are believed to be still trapped in rubble. Food, water and medicine are in short supply.
This week, an Ethnos360 Aviation pilot and Kodiak airplane flew a survey of the Sulawesi coastline north and south of Palu. There was significant tsunami damage along the bay in which Palu sits, but they spotted little other damage outside the bay.
However, it is like that, as in past disasters, areas outside the city will have significant needs that could go unaddressed by general relief efforts. These are the types of needs that our teams are best equipped to help with, and working with MAF and Helivida, we hope to be able to identify those and help in those areas this coming week.
We have also been able to relocate from Palu all Ethnos360-related personnel that are not assisting in relief and recovery operations, and are continuing to evaluate serious damage to our offices, guest facility and supply hub.
Pray that Ethnos360’s Indonesian partners will be able to be a significant help in meeting the needs in Palu.
Please pray specifically for safety, and for our pilot there, as well as our aviation mechanic. Out mechanic lives in Palu, and stayed to help after sending his family to safety. Pray also for another co-worker who is awaiting his pilot’s certificate so he can fly for us there. Pray that this is approved in record time.
You may also give to assist with relief efforts.