On the evening of Friday 28th September, a 7.4-magintude earthquake and over seventy deadly aftershocks hit central Sulawesi, devastating the city of Palu, region of Donggala and the surrounding area. The earthquake triggered a massive tsunami, with waves as high as 18 feet, sweeping away anything that came in its way. Over 2.4 million people have been affected by this disaster.

Over 1,400 people have tragically lost their lives, and this figure is expected to rise in the coming days as many people still remain missing and are feared to be trapped in rubble. Thousands of people have been injured, and hospitals are struggling to deal with a huge influx of patients. The strain on health services raise concerns that there may not be enough medical support for all those who need it.

The earthquake also triggered a volcanic eruption, which sent ash flying into the air, affecting flights and creating further delays in aid.

People are in urgent need of food, fuel, shelter and medical aid.

85% of homes in Palu have been destroyed, and over 60,000 people are internally displaced, living on the streets. People remain in shock and in fear of another earthquake, so even people whose houses are still standing, are sleeping in the open air.

Penny Appeal is working with local partners in the city of Palu to provide life-saving aid to those most in need. We have been conducting a needs assessment to understand the full extent of the situation and to ensure we are reaching the most vulnerable, including disabled people, pregnant women, babies and the elderly, as well as those who are badly injured.

Penny Appeal is continuously monitoring the situation on the ground, and will be adapting or increasing its response as necessary. All money raised will go to our Emergency Response fund, which will enable us to allocate the funds directly where most needed in Indonesia.

Our teams are on the ground, and we will be providing feedback on our response as soon as possible.