Bonaria Siahaan, CEO at Yayasan CARE Peduli, which is part of the CARE International aid network, says:
“Communities in West Java are still reeling from the earthquake that struck earlier this week. Entire villages have been reduced to rubble, leaving people without shelter or a feeling of security. The combination of continued heavy rain and the threat of aftershocks mean more landslides are an ever-present danger. After a disaster like this, where people are displaced from their homes, sleeping in tents and the usual family support structures are lost, we know that it is women and children who are often the most vulnerable.
CARE is coordinating with local authorities and other aid agencies to respond to urgent needs. Together with PMI - the Indonesian Red Cross - we are planning to support some 500 families in two of the villages hardest-hit by the earthquake with essentials including mattresses, sarongs to provide some privacy and protection from cool temperatures and kitchen items such as pots, cooking utensils, cups, plates and bowls. Many have lost just about everything and need our collective support to help them through the critical early stages of this disaster.”
For media inquiries, please contact Suzy Sainovski, CARE International's Senior Humanitarian Communications Coordinator, [email protected].