Two disasters striking, less than 24 hours apart, have left hundreds dead and tens of thousands homeless in Indonesia. World Vision is responding to help those affected.

Deadly Tsunami
A large 7.7-magnitude earthquake occurred in the ocean off Indonesia’s remote Mentawai Islands. This massive tremor triggered a tsunami that roared ashore leaving 343 dead, 338 missing and more than 23,000 families homeless.

“It's very difficult to get information from the Mentawai Islands as a result of the tsunami and the poor communication in this area,” says Canadian Amelia Merrick, acting national director for World Vision Indonesia.

“But we do know that many villages have been just completely wiped out."

In partnership with the Indonesian government and other local agencies, World Vision is contributing 1,000 water containers to the relief efforts on the Mentawai Islands.

Volcanic Eruption
Just hours after the tsunami, Indonesia’s Mount Merapi erupted, immediately killing more than 30 people and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.

The ash spewing from the volcano has left the surrounding countryside covered in soot, creating unhealthy respiratory conditions to which children are especially vulnerable. In response, World Vision has distributed 15,100 masks for people living in areas affected by ash.

Rains have begun to help the ash settle but also complicate the situation. “On one hand this is really good, volcanic ash can bring with it respiratory problems, ear and nose infections, so the rain helps,” says Merrick.

“However, some children are suffering from colds or the flu because it’s wet, they're tired and they’re under a lot of stress right now."

To help these families, World Vision is distributing 1,000 family kits consisting of soap, shampoo, blankets, toothpaste and toothbrushes. It is also giving out 1,000 kits for families with infants that include diapers, baby soap and blankets.

Relief for the Children
A very unique contribution that World Vision has made to the relief efforts is temporarily sending a mobile library van from its inner city programs in the capital of Jakarta.

The mobile library provides a crucial diversion for the children living in the displacement camps. It is filled with books for young readers and equipped with video equipment, that plays children’s videos about hygiene and how to respond to disasters.

“The kids adore it,” says Merrick. “I get shivers every time I think about poor kids from the slum donating their book van to the disaster.”

What You Can Do
If you would like to contribute to World Vision’s relief efforts in Indonesia, click here.