Indonesian official says an earthquake and tsunami left many victims in central Sulawesi as rescuers race to the region.</s>As officials began burying hundreds of dead in a mass grave Monday, thousands of survivors of a devastating earthquake and tsunami converged on the airport of this heavily damaged Indonesian city and clamored to leave, saying there was little to eat and their homes were unsafe.The confirmed death toll of 844, mostly from the city of Palu, is expected to rise as authorities reach areas that were cut off by the disaster. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck at dusk Friday and generated a tsunami said to have been as high as 6 meters (20 feet) in places.Search-and-rescue teams combed destroyed homes and buildings, including a collapsed eight-story hotel, for any trapped survivors, but they needed more heavy equipment to clear the rubble.Many people were believed trapped under shattered houses in Palu's Balaroa neighborhood, where the earthquake caused the ground to heave up and down violently, said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.In the city's Petobo section, the quake caused loose, wet soil to liquefy, creating a thick, heavy mud that caused massive damage. "In Petobo, it is estimated that there are still hundreds of victims buried in mud," Nugroho said.Residents who found loved ones - alive and dead - over the weekend expressed frustration that it took rescue teams until Monday to reach Petobo.Desperation was evident across Palu, a city of more than 380,000 people on the island of Sulawesi.About 3,000 residents flocked to its airport, trying to board military aircraft or one of the few commercial flights, local TV reported. Video showed some of them screaming in anger because they were not able to get on a departing military plane."We have not eaten for three days!" one woman yelled. "We just want to be safe!"Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Palu alone, Nugroho said, and hospitals were overwhelmed.The Indonesian air force confirmed that a Hercules aircraft carrying an unspecified number of survivors was able to leave Palu for South Sulawesi's capital of Makassar.Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo authorized the acceptance of international help, Nugroho said, adding that generators, heavy equipment and tents were among the most-needed items. The European Union and 10 countries have offered assistance, including the United States, Australia and China, he said."We will send food today, as much as possible with several aircraft," Widodo told reporters in the capital, Jakarta, adding that a supply of fuel was also set to arrive.Hundreds of people were lined up for fuel at gas stations across Palu, with waiting cars snarling traffic amid neighborhoods with fences painted with the red and white colors of the Indonesian flag.Groups of children, some smiling but others with anxious expressions, stood in the middle of roads holding boxes for cash donations. Signs were displayed along roads, saying "We need Food" and "We need support." Another asked about the whereabouts of their local political leader.Three days after the powerful waves struck, the coastline at Palu remained strewn with rubble and a few brightly colored cargo containers poking out of the water. Those buildings that still stood near the water were ruined shells.A heavily damaged mosque was half submerged, and a shopping mall was reduced to a crumpled hulk. A large bridge with yellow arches collapsed.The city is built around a narrow bay that apparently magnified the force of the tsunami as the waves raced into the tight inlet. Nugroho said water was reported as high as 6 meters (20 feet) in places.Rescuers searching a collapsed building Monday night were able to remove 38-year-old Sapri Nusin alive from the rubble.Indonesian TV showed a conscious Nusin talking to his rescuers from the National Search and Rescue Agency, known as Basarnas, as they worked by flashlight. He was carried away on a stretcher, although his condition was not known.Elsewhere in Palu, Edi Setiawan said he and fellow residents rescued five children and four adults, including a pregnant woman. His sister and father, however, did not survive."My sister was found embracing her father," he said. "My mother was able to survive after struggling against the mud and being rescued by villagers."On Sunday night, a 25-year-old woman was rescued Sunday evening at the toppled Roa-Roa Hotel, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency, which released photos of her on a stretcher.Novry Wullur of Indonesia's search and rescue agency said Nurul Istiharah, 15, managed to survive after being trapped inside her house after it collapsed. Her mother and niece were dead next to her, and she was submerged in water up to her neck and was in danger of drowning before her legs were finally freed. She was being treated for hypothermia.The official death toll of 844 was released by Nugroho on Monday, an increase of only 12 from the previous day, with nearly all from Palu. The regencies of Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Moutong - with a combined population of 1.2 million - had yet to be fully assessed.Officials dug a trench 10 meters by 100 meters (33 feet by 330 feet) in Palu and began laying the dead in brightly colored body bags side by side.Local army commander Tiopan Aritonang said 545 bodies would be brought to the grave from one hospital alone.The trench can be enlarged if needed, said Willem Rampangilei, chief of Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency."This must be done as soon as possible for health and religious reasons," he said. Indonesia is majority Muslim, and religious custom calls for burials soon after death, typically within one day.Local military spokesman Mohammad Thorir said the area adjacent to a public cemetery can hold 1,000 bodies. All of the victims, coming from hospitals, have been photographed to help families locate where their relatives were buried.Video showed residents walking from body bag to body bag, opening the tops to check if they could identify faces.Around midday, teams of workers, their mouths covered by masks, carried 18 bodies to the trench as a backhoe waited to push soil on top of the dead. More burials were expected to follow.Nugroho said 114 foreigners were in Palu and Donggala during the disaster. All were accounted for except one Belgian, one South Korean and six French.It was the latest natural disaster to hit Indonesia, which is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.In December 2004, a massive magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra island in western Indonesia triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries. More recently, a powerful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people in August.Indonesia is a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands home to 260 million people. Roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas, making access difficult in the best of conditions.</s>No South Africans have been reported missing in a powerful earthquake and tsunami that have hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi‚ the department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) says.

The death toll in the disaster has been put at nearly 400 so far but authorities expect the figure to rise.

Dirco said the South African embassy in Jakarta was in contact with the Indonesian authorities and that there were no reports so far of any South Africans missing.

It urged family members of any South Africans residing or on holiday in Indonesia whom they were unable to contact or locate to contact the department’s 24-hour switchboard number at 012 351 1000.

The South African government has expressed its condolences to the government and people of Indonesia in the wake of the disaster‚

“The thoughts of the people of South Africa are with the people of Indonesia during this difficult period and the South African Government extends its sympathy to those families who have lost their loved ones‚” it said in a statement on Saturday.</s>Bright-coloured body bags were placed side-by-side in a freshly dug mass grave Monday, as a hard-hit Indonesian city began burying its dead from the devastating earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 840 people and left thousands homeless.

The death toll, largely from the city of Palu, is expected to keep rising as areas cut off by the damage are reached. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck at dusk Friday and generated a tsunami said to have been as high as six metres in places.

READ MORE: Tsunami early warning system might have saved lives in Indonesia — if it was working

Local army commander Tiopan Aritonang said 545 bodies would be brought to the grave from one hospital alone. The trench dug in Palu was 10 metres by 100 metres and can be enlarged if needed, said Willem Rampangilei, chief of Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

“This must be done as soon as possible for health and religious reasons,” he said. Indonesia is majority Muslim, and religious custom calls for burials soon after death, typically within one day.

Local military spokesman Mohammad Thorir said the area adjacent to a public cemetery can hold 1,000 bodies. All of the victims, coming from local hospitals, have been photographed to help families locate where their relatives were buried. Video footage showed residents walking from body bag to body bag, opening the tops to check if they could identify faces.

Around midday, teams of workers, their mouths covered by masks, carried 18 bodies and laid them in the trench. A backhoe waited to push soil on top of the dead. More burials were expected to follow.

WATCH: GlobalMedic prepares to send Canadian team to help with relief efforts in Indonesia

Military and commercial aircraft were delivering some aid and supplies. But there was a need for heavy equipment to reach possible survivors buried in collapsed buildings, including an eight-story hotel in Palu where voices had been heard in the rubble.

People suffering from a lack of food and supplies were also becoming more desperate. Local television said around 3,000 residents had flocked to the Palu airport trying to get out. Footage showed some people screaming in anger because they were not able to board departing military aircraft. The airport has resumed only some commercial flights.

“We have not eaten for three days!” one woman yelled. “We just want to be safe!”

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo authorized the acceptance of international help, said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, adding that generators, heavy equipment and tents were among the items needed. He said the European Union and 10 countries have offered assistance, including the United States, Australia and China.

READ MORE: Earthquake causes 3-metre tsunami in Indonesia

“We will send food today, as much as possible with several aircraft,” Widodo told journalists in the capital, Jakarta, adding that a supply of fuel was also set to arrive.

Nugroho said conditions in the Balaroa area of Palu were particularly bad because the earthquake caused the ground to violently heave up and sink down in places, trapping many people under destroyed houses. In Petobo, another area of the city, the temblor caused liquefaction, when loose, water-filled soil near the surface loses its strength, causing massive damage.

“In Petobo, it is estimated that there are still hundreds of victims buried in mud material,” he said.

Villagers who pulled out loved ones — alive and dead — over the weekend expressed frustration that it took rescue teams until Monday to reach Petobo.

Edi Setiawan, 32, said he and fellow villagers were able to rescue five children and four adults, including a pregnant woman. However, his sister and father were not among them.

WATCH: Clean-up efforts underway after Indonesia hit with devastating earthquake and tsunami

“My sister was found embracing her father,” he said. “My mother was able to survive after struggling against the mud and being rescued by villagers.”

Another villager, 52-year-old Idrus, who uses one name, said that “up to Saturday we still saw many people screaming for help from the roofs. But we could not do anything to help them. Now their cries are no longer heard.”

But there were cases of survivors still being pulled from the rubble in different locations, including a 25-year-old woman found alive Sunday evening in the ruins of the Roa-Roa Hotel, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency, which released photos of her lying on a stretcher covered with a blanket.

The confirmed death toll of 844 released by Nugroho on Monday afternoon was an increase of only 12 since the previous day, with nearly all of the total from Palu. The regencies of Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Moutong — with a combined population of 1.2 million — had yet to be fully assessed. Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Palu alone, Nugroho said.

He said 114 foreigners were in Palu and Donggala during the disaster. All were accounted for except one Belgian, one South Korean and six French.

It was the latest natural disaster to hit Indonesia, which is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. In December 2004, a massive magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra island in western Indonesia triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries. More recently, a powerful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people in August.

In Donggala, the site closest to the earthquake’s epicentre, aerial footage on Metro TV showed the sugary blond sands of beaches swept out to sea, along with some buildings. Some buildings in the town were severely damaged, with plywood walls shredded and chunks of concrete scattered on the pavement. Much of the damage, however, appeared limited to the waterfront.

Palu, which has more than 380,000 people, was strewn with debris from the earthquake and tsunami. A heavily damaged mosque was half submerged and a shopping mall was reduced to a crumpled hulk. A large bridge with yellow arches collapsed.

The city is built around a narrow bay that apparently magnified the force of the tsunami as the waves raced into the tight inlet. Nugroho said waves were reported as high as six metres in some places.

In one devastated area in Palu, residents said dozens of people could still be buried in their homes.

“The ground rose up like a spine and suddenly fell. Many people were trapped and buried under collapsed houses. I could do nothing to help,” resident Nur Indah said, crying. “In the evening, some of them turned on their cellphones just to give a sign that they were there. But the lights were off later and the next day.”

Indonesia is a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands home to 260 million people. Roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas, making access difficult in the best of conditions.</s>An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale hit Indonesia last week, which resulted in a tsunami. The city of Palu was badly hit with more than 1,200 confirmed dead so far. Earthquakes and tsunamis are prevalent in a number of countries that are based in the “Ring of Fire” in the Pacific basin. But what should you do in an emergency situation if facing an earthquake or a tsunami?

According to the Red Cross, if caught in an emergency the Drop, Cover and Hold On practice should be followed. Many believe that a doorway is the strongest place to hide, but this is not safe to do in modern houses. Instead, getting under the strongest piece of furniture is advised, or if in bed, to stay in it and cover the head and torso. When the quakes appear to have stopped, the building should be evacuated, taking care to avoid any broken electric lines or falling debris. Elevators should be avoided in taller buildings. If outside during an earthquake, then finding an open space away from buildings, power lines and trees is the safest option. Bridges and areas near cliffs and mountains should be avoided also.

A tsunami can follow after an earthquake, although this isn’t always the case. The signs that one is imminent is when the water recedes extremely far from the coastline, meaning the waves are about to make landfall. If a tsunami warning has been issued, then seeking higher ground is advised. This means at least 100 feet above sea level, according to the Red Cross, or at least two miles away. A tsunami warning means one has been detected, which is different and more dangerous than a tsunami watch. One of the biggest mistakes is heading back to land after the first wave; multiple waves can occur so staying on higher ground is advised until official advice is issued. Avoiding power lines, bridges and damaged buildings is also advised to avoid further dangers.</s>Announcing UK aid in response to the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

The UK offers its deepest condolences to those affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia which has left hundreds of people dead and thousands more homeless and in need of urgent help.

Following a request from the Government of Indonesia this morning, we are deploying a team of UK aid humanitarian advisers to the region who will use their disaster response expertise to help co-ordinate efforts on the ground.

I have made an initial £2 million of UK aid support available to help meet immediate needs of the most vulnerable people.</s>Indonesian authorities will on Monday begin with mass burials for hundreds of people killed in an earthquake and a subsequent tsunami that hit the Celebes island on Sep. 28, as search and rescue efforts are underway to find other victims and survivors.

The spokesperson for the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said the mass burials will be held in the outskirts of Palu, one of the city's most affected by the disaster where 821 of the 832 victims died, according to the latest official death toll.</s>Singapore, 1 October 2018 - In response to the devastating earthquake and tsunami that has struck Sulawesi, Indonesia, over the weekend, the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) has launched a public fundraising appeal, and in the first instance, pledged S$50,000 in humanitarian aid to support affected communities.

With its International Services team closely monitoring the situation across four affected cities and regencies: Palu city, Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Mouton, the SRC has readied a 3-person advance response team, which could depart as early as tomorrow (Tuesday) on a 6-day mission, to conduct ground assessments and to support the Palang Merah Indonesia (“PMI” - Indonesian Red Cross) to distribute relief supplies to displaced families. The Indonesian Red Cross has been on the frontline of search and rescue efforts, providing emergency disaster relief.

All donations to the Singapore Red Cross will go towards the purchase of relief items, such as first aid supplies, hygiene kits, water systems, jerry cans, tarpaulins, mosquito nets, blankets and sleeping mats for displaced survivors; and the longer-term recovery and rebuilding efforts.

Mr Benjamin William, Secretary General and CEO of Singapore Red Cross, said, “We are saddened that Indonesia has once again been struck by a major earthquake. The extent of the full devastation is still unfolding - with a rapidly increasing number of fatalities, hundreds of collapsed houses and buildings, and tens of thousands of homeless people. The twin disaster has also caused much damage to infrastructure, including the network of roads and bridges. This poses difficulty to not just the search and rescue efforts, but also the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the affected areas. The humanitarian needs are dire, and we are working closely with PMI on relief efforts to affected areas. We stand in solidarity with our Indonesian friends during this difficult time.”

Triggered by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, the tsunami reportedly sent waves that reached up to six metres high in some areas to shores, flattening and collapsing establishments. A 14-day state of emergency was declared by the Central Sulawesi administration on Sunday to effectively mobilise and coordinate logistics and aid to reach survivors.

The latest devastation to hit Indonesia, the twin-disaster comes on the back of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake which struck Lombok in August, killing more than 550 people. The Singapore Red Cross team had donated S$50,000 in humanitarian aid, and deployed two disaster relief teams to East, North and West Lombok - one of which was caught in a powerful aftershock.

Cheque donation - Please make cheque payable to ‘Singapore Red Cross Society’, to be posted to the above address. Please leave your name, postal address and indicate “Sulawesi Earthquake 2018” at the back of your cheque.

Note: Donations to overseas efforts are not tax-deductible.

The Singapore Red Cross has activated its “Restoring Family Links” (RFL) service to assist Singaporeans and Indonesians to locate their immediate family members who may have been affected by the disaster with whom they have difficulty in contacting. Call 6664 0536 or email rfl@redcross.sg for assistance.</s>The Challenges Of Responding To Tsunami And Earthquake In Indonesia

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with Associated Press reporter Margie Mason about the death toll and damage from an earthquake and tsunami that hit Indonesia.</s>The Indonesian island of Sulawesi is still struggling to recover from a series of earthquake and a tsunami which has left more than 840 people dead reports CBS News.

Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi, was hit by a 7.5 magnitude quake that triggered a tsunami which reached as high as 20-feet in some areas, as previously reported by the Inquisitr. People are suspected to still be trapped under rubble in the regional capital, with rescue crews working through the weekend and into Monday, with Indonesian officials believing there are up to 50 people still trapped under overturned buildings.

With so many dead because of the earthquake and tsunami city officials have begun burying the bodies, with reporters on the scene reporting that dozens of body bags were placed in a mass grave in the city. This could be only the beginning of the increase in the death toll, with Sulawesi’s unique geography creating several remote communities the death toll is expected to rise above 1000.

335,000 people live in Palu alone, with the population of Sulawesi as a whole estimated at 18.5 million tens of thousands are already known to be homeless. That figure will also increase with the Palu almost completely leveled by the quake.

The mass grave that has been dug in the city is 33 feet by 330 feet and the Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency has said it could be expanded. Local officials report that 545 bodies are being brought to that grave from just one local hospital, with the burials expected to take place on Monday and Tuesday.

Burials have to happen quickly in Sulawesi, hence the need for the mass grave, with the island having a majority Muslim population Islam requires burials to happen quickly after death, typically within one day. That requirement makes things difficult for officials and rescue workers at times of disaster, wanting to identify bodies, and help families but also respect the religious customs of the population.

All the victims were photographed before buying buried, with those photographs posted in the city for family members to identify loved ones. This will also allow people to pay respects at the proper burial site, with mass graves and public graveyards open for burials allowing for thousands to be buried authorities want to make sure that everybody knows where all the victims are buried.

Beyond the dead and homeless, local authorities will have another issue with 1,200 inmates escaping from three prisons on the island. Two of those prisons were already over capacity, and one of them, in the secondary city of Donggala, was on fire. Authorities gave prisoners the benefit of the doubt, saying they likely escaped to save their lives and added that most of the prisoners were detained for corruption or drug offenses.

Authorities have made finding prisoners the lowest of their priorities, choosing instead to focus on rescuing survivors, with one 25-year-old found in the rubble of a hotel late on Sunday night giving hope that more will be found.

Indonesia’s government has welcomed international assistance, and with the quakes now calmed down the main airport in Palu has been opened for emergency relief aircraft to land.
At least 844 people are now known to have died in the Indonesian earthquake and tsunami.