Indonesia is an archipelago of thousands of islands, with a coastline of about 81,000 km, making it particularly vulnerable to climate change and related natural disasters. The capital Jakarta is built on a swampy plain and regularly suffers from floods, as around 40% of the city sits below sea level.

Indonesia suffers hundreds of natural disasters every year and in 2004 was struck by an Indian Ocean tsunami that killed about 167,000 people.

According to the World Bank, the government spends about $300-$500 million annually on rebuilding after disasters.

On 28 September 2018, a series of strong earthquakes struck Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province. The strongest earthquake (7.4M) triggered a tsunami which struck Palu and Donggala districts, resulting in significant damage and loss of life. Instances of landslides also occurred. Thousands of families lost their homes and access to services, and sought refuge in safer areas.

In Central Sulawesi, an estimated 1.5 million people were affected (including over 500,000 children). Earlier, in July-August 2018, a series of strong and devastating earthquakes struck the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa affecting over 400,000 people (including over 100,000 children).

Displaced households living in informal settlements and tents or makeshift shelters next to their former homes, were the most vulnerable groups and most affected by the disaster. They suffered more economic loss, and require more support rebuilding their businesses and resuming their livelihoods in a displaced setting.

Hayat Yolu participated in relief efforts to alleviate part of the survivors’ suffering; we distributed food, medicine, tents, and hygiene kits. Our efforts continue to help families restore their livelihoods and work to rebuild local economies and industries. We also rely on a preparedness plan to intervene quickly in the event of any disaster in the area in order to mitigate the effects of any accidents on survivors.