International Medical Corps emergency response teams are on the ground in Padang, Indonesia, providing medical and other assistance in the wake of Wednesday’s earthquake that has killed 1,100 people, according to the U.N., with thousands of others believed trapped under rubble.
International Medical Corps is working closely with its long-time partner in Indonesia, Ambulan 118, a national organization of emergency responders providing emergency health care and distributing of much needed non-food items and hygiene kits to those who have suffered injuries and also lost family, as well as their homes. In order to continue providing assistance to the victims of earthquake, International Medical Corps is in need of donations, including cash and gift-in-kind to assist in the effort.
A 10-member team from Ambulan 118, including members of the Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue Team, is working with the Ministry of Health and The National Disaster Management Agency to rescue those trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings, which include hospitals, hotels, schools, and shops.
Power and telecommunications have been cut in the area, further complicating rescue efforts. Authorities expect the death toll to climb given the thousands of people believed still trapped under buildings.
The 7.6-magnitude quake in Padang was followed Thursday by another measuring 7.0 in the neighboring town of Jambi. There are also reports of landslides in nearby villages.
Earthquakes, volcanoes and other seismic activity occur frequently in the region, commonly called the Ring of Fire; the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, to which International Medical Corps was one of the first organizations to respond, claimed nearly 230,000 lives.