IRISH AID agencies are mobilising staff and resources in response to the earthquake that hit the Indonesian city of Padang on Wednesday.
Trócaire yesterday sent a team of staff and representatives from partner organisations to the city, which is located on the western coast of the island of Sumatra.
Trócaire’s regional manager in southeast Asia, Noel Molony, said he had received reports that half the buildings in Padang, a city of some 900,000 people, had been destroyed.
“Many victims were trapped in their houses, and there’s no water and electricity . . . Now our sources tell us that another town has been destroyed – and we fear that there are more villages and towns affected we just don’t know about yet,” Mr Molony said.
“Our first priority is to save as many lives as possible by rescuing trapped survivors.
“After that the focus will be getting survivors the shelter, food and clean water they need.”
Trócaire has pledged €250,000 to kickstart recovery efforts, but Mr Molony said the agency was also appealing to the public for support. “Over 2,000 people are reported dead already but our sources say that this earthquake could be worse than the 2007 quake that killed more than 6,000 people in Indonesia, so we need to be prepared for the worst,” he added.
Trócaire has operated in Indonesia since the 2004 tsunami, which resulted in the deaths of more than 230,000 people in southeast Asia.
A spokeswoman for Concern said the aid agency was sending two members of its emergency response team to the affected area.
Meanwhile, the Irish Government has pledged up to €500,000 to assist those affected by the earthquake in Indonesia; the tsunami that struck the Samoan islands and Tonga on Tuesday; and torrential flooding caused by Typhoon Ketsana in the Philippines and Vietnam.
“The €500,000 will support the international effort to assist the families worst affected by this devastating series of disasters,” said Minister for Overseas Development Peter Power. “It will provide emergency supplies such as clean water, food, blankets and shelter to those whose lives have been thrown into turmoil.”
The donation is in addition to Government funding that was drawn down in the immediate aftermath of the disasters by the International Federation of the Red Cross. “Ireland is among the international donors who provide prepositioned funding to allow our partners on the ground respond in the hours after a disaster strikes,” Mr Power added.