Indonesian Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Response

On September 28, 2018, a shallow earthquake struck Minahasa Peninsula, Indonesia, with its epicenter located in the mountainous Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi. The quake hit 48 miles away from the provincial capital Palu. Following the mainshock, a tsunami alert was issued for the nearby Makassar Strait, and a localized tsunami struck Palu that swept away shore-lying houses and buildings on its way. The combined effects of the earthquake and tsunami led to the deaths of almost 2,250 people.

Oxfam is scaling up its response to reach 500,000 people with essential aid supplies, such as ready-to-eat food, water purification kits, and shelter packs. We have so far reached 100,000 people who were hit by the earthquake and tsunami in Palu. Our response team is made up of local organizations and national staff with a wide breadth of expertise—early assistance with clean water, shelter, sanitation, and hygiene kits—and we are shifting to longer term support to help people restart their livelihoods.

Story about Mas’ad: Mas’ad was at home with her three children when the first earthquake hit. “We ran away from the house. When the tremor hit for the second time, it broke my house,” she says. “Thankfully, my three children survived.”

Mas’ad, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, says she is living with relatives in Dampal village, in Donggala, while her husband works in the nearby city of Palu.

To help people whose homes are uninhabitable, like Mas’ad, Oxfam and our local partners in the area are distributing tarpaulins they can use for shelter. “I want to set up the tent in front of my house so it can be easier to cook near my home," Mas’ad says. She says Oxfam also gave her a sarong, a popular form of clothing in Indonesia.