Plan Launches Emergency Response to Major Earthquake on Flores Island, Indonesia...Support Efforts for Affected Children Underway

International relief and development NGO Plan International has launched an emergency response following a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that occurred on the island of Flores, Indonesia, on the 15th. Provided by Plan International Korea

International relief and development NGO Plan International has launched emergency relief operations in response to the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck near the island of Flores, Indonesia, on August 15.

The earthquake occurred on the morning of August 15 near Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. According to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB), as of 1 p.m. on the 16th, 51 people had died and 101 were injured, with more than 5,900 people reported to have evacuated. In addition, extensive damage has been reported, including the destruction of 914 homes, 93 educational facilities, and 36 medical facilities. The region continues to experience hundreds of aftershocks since the initial earthquake, causing ongoing anxiety and tension among local residents.

Particularly in remote areas such as Flores Island, the relatively weak medical and educational infrastructure compared to major cities has meant that recovery from disasters of this magnitude is taking even longer.

Plan launches emergency assessments and aid distribution in earthquake-affected areas

Plan Indonesia dispatched an emergency response team of 16 people to the affected areas immediately after the earthquake, conducting urgent needs assessments in the impacted regions of Manggarai, East Manggarai, Nagekeo, Ngada, and Sikka. In particular, they are prioritizing the needs of those most vulnerable during disasters, such as children, women, and people with disabilities.

To date, over 250 emergency relief packages have been delivered to five evacuation centers. These relief packages included hygiene kits for families, menstrual hygiene products for women and girls, items for temporary shelter, play and educational materials for children, drinking water, and snacks.

Plan sees not only the provision of basic survival support following a disaster as critical, but also the creation of safe spaces and psychosocial support for children, along with guarantees for the hygiene and safety of girls and women, as essential elements of its emergency response.

Dini Widiastuti, Country Director of Plan Indonesia, said, "Disasters destroy not only homes and infrastructure, but also the sense of safety and stability in children's daily lives," adding, "We are closely monitoring the situation of children and those in vulnerable situations in the affected areas so that urgently needed support can be delivered as quickly as possible."

Emergency fundraising for children and families affected by the Indonesia earthquake

Plan Korea is also launching an emergency fundraising campaign to help children and families impacted by the Flores Island earthquake.

Funds raised through this emergency campaign will be used to provide urgent relief such as drinking water, hygiene products, and temporary shelter, as well as psychosocial and protection support activities for children. Plan intends to continue providing support to affected children and families in accordance with ongoing local assessments and the results of urgent needs evaluations.

A representative of Plan Korea stated, "For the children and families who have lost their homes and are enduring day by day in evacuation centers due to this sudden earthquake, what is most needed right now is support that ensures a safe environment and helps them regain a sense of normalcy in their lives. We ask for continued interest and support from people in Korea so that children and families in the affected areas of Indonesia can return to their daily lives."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.