Tsunami in Indonesia: rescuers dig into rubble for survivors


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Legend of the mediaDramatic video shows overturned buildings

Rescuers have dug by hand in the frenzied search for survivors in the Indonesian city of Palu, which is waking up from an earthquake and tsunami.

At least 408 people have been killed, but it is feared that the death toll will increase dramatically as workers reach areas closer to the epicenter.

Research efforts are hampered by blocked roads and a collapsed bridge.

The Red Cross estimates that more than 1.6 million people have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

  • In pictures: earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia

The city of Donggala raises particular concerns, where the impact is still unclear.

"It's already a tragedy, but it could be much worse," the Red Cross said in a statement.

Yenni Suryani, the Indonesian national director of the Catholic Relief Services humanitarian agency, said Donggala appears to be inaccessible by road or by air and that help may have to come by sea.

Strong aftershocks continued to hit the island since the Friday earthquake.

What is the situation in Palu?

Rescue teams dug by hand to free 24 people stranded in the rubble of the Roa-Roa hotel in the city of Palu.

The hotel owner told the local press that local media could still be heard, but that no heavy lifting equipment was available to rescue them.

Dozens of people are missing in the city of 335,000 people, some of whom are trapped in the debris of collapsed buildings.

Author's right of the image
EPA

Legend

A bridge was destroyed by the tsunami

Bodies were lying in the streets of the city and the wounded are being treated in tents because of the damage to the hospitals.

Anxious survivors in Palu went to bed Saturday night, taking into account the authorities' advice not to return home as a precaution.

Why were so many people killed on Friday?

The magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred at 18:03 (10:03 GMT) at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), just off the central island of Sulawesi, causing a tsunami, according to US observers .

Many people were on the beach in Palu, preparing for a festival, and were captured when waves up to 3 m high were washed away.

The video shows people screaming and fleeing in panic.

"The tsunami … resulted in cars, logs, houses," said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the Indonesian relief agency. "Everything touched the earth."

In addition to destroying houses, the earthquake destroyed a shopping center, a mosque, a hotel and a road bridge.

An air traffic controller at Palu Airport died ensuring that a plane took off safely following the Friday earthquake.

What do the survivors say?

Anser Bachmid, 39, told the AFP news agency that "we all panicked and got out of the house." "People here need help – food, drink, clean water, we do not know what to eat for dinner tonight."

"I just ran when I saw the waves hitting houses on the coast," said Rusidanto, a resident of Palu.

Author's right of the image
EPA

Legend

Survivors spent the night under the stars

Dwi Haris, who was in town for a wedding, was in a hotel with his wife and daughter when the earthquake occurred.

"There was no time to save us," he told the Associated Press news agency. "I was stuck in the ruins of the wall … I heard my wife crying for help but then silence.I do not know what happened to her and to my child, I hope that they will be safe. "

With injuries to the back and shoulder, he is treated outside at the Palu Military Hospital.

What do we do to help?

The aid is conveyed from the capital Jakarta to Palu airport, using the part of its track still intact.

Patients are treated outside the city's hospitals and at least one military field hospital has been erected.

The regional chief of the Association of Indonesian Doctors (IDI), Komang, asked for immediate help from the authorities.

"We need tents, medicine, medical staff, tarpaulins, blankets and other things," he said.

The British charity Save the Children sends an assessment team to the disaster area.

"Unfortunately, the more information we get, the more the situation seems to be bad," BBC spokesman Tom Howells told the BBC.


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