Lyon, 5 November 2010 - Since 26 October, the eruption of Mount Merapi has continued to threaten the lives of the inhabitants of Yogyakarta on Java, Indonesia's most densely populated island. The volcano has already killed more than 100 people. According to the Indonesian government, 160,000 people have been evacuated under emergency conditions to encampments far from the volcano. In order to meet basic emergency needs, Handicap International has been supplying aid to the most vulnerable people for over a week and has just released €100,000 in general funds.
The association intends to use this money to intensify its efforts, begun within the last few days, in aid of the most vulnerable displaced persons. "Although we began supplying aid to victims last week, the situation is growing worse by the hour, so we've decided to increase our capacity for action by releasing €100,000," explains Marie-Pierre Guicherd, head of Handicap International's South-East Asia programme.
The situation around the volcano is growing worse by the hour. The French Embassy in Indonesia advised French citizens on Friday to leave Yogyakarta. 160,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes, devastated villages and destroyed camps on Friday morning following a new and extremely violent eruption.
Handicap International has decided to supply direct and immediate aid to the most vulnerable victims of the disaster. "There are very few humanitarian operators present in the sector, despite a situation of acute need. Some families left their homes more than a week ago, taking nothing with them. We're coming across elderly people, pregnant women and children in the field who need support," commented Johann Matti, the coordinator of Handicap International's emergency response in Indonesia. "The children are frightened after spending a night without light, listening to the volcano rumble and breathing in ash that the volcano has been belching out constantly for 48 hours," he continued.
The association has set up a service consisting of 12 mobile teams each comprising of two physiotherapists and five community workers. They will be responsible for distributing emergency packs, hygiene packs and 80,000 protection masks, ensuring the weakest victims perform respiratory physiotherapy exercises, and raising the awareness of health professionals and people at risk from complications linked to the inhalation of volcanic ash. Faced with this distress, Handicap International's teams and partners are also providing psychological support in camps to assist the weakest victims.
Handicap International in Indonesia
The association has been present in Indonesia since the country was hit by a tsunami in 2005. It is also implementing long-term development projects in aid of people with disabilities.
Week and weekend press contact: Sophie Mazoyer / GSM: +33 (0)6 60 97 09 38 - smazoyer@handicap-international.fr