Renee Manoppo, Humanitarian and Emergency Response Manager at Yayasan CARE Peduli, which is part of the CARE international aid network, says:
"This is a devastating tragedy for Indonesia, especially given the number of young lives lost. Information is still coming in, but almost 14,000 people are estimated to have been displaced and more than 2 million are estimated to be affected in some way. People have lost their homes, their livelihoods, schools and medical centres have been destroyed. Most people in the worst affected area have been moved to safer locations and the government is preparing emergency tents. The community remains traumatized and fearful of reentering their homes -- they will require a lot of support in the coming weeks, months and years.
Yayasan CARE Peduli works a few hours' drive from the affected area and we are in discussions with the government and other agencies about what is needed and whether we are best placed to respond. We know from experience that the needs of women and girls are often overlooked during emergencies, and violence against women tends to rise, so responding agencies must ensure women are widely consulted and women's organisations are given extra resources."
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