An earthquake of 6.5 magnitude struck the northern part of Aceh on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia on 7th December 2016, killing at least 100 people and causing destruction. Early reports indicate that there are 22,729 internally displaced people across 28 locations and 11,668 damaged houses.
Immediately following the disaster, the Sathya Sai International Organisation (SSIO) Indonesia Sai Rescue team rushed to ground zero and distributed food items, water, blankets, cooking oil, milk, tooth paste and clothing. The local government has also provided facilities to coordinate the emergency response, providing items such as sanitation facilities, kitchens, tents, blankets, cooking utensils and folding beds, among others. The Ministry of Public Works is currently also surveying school and mosque structures.
In weeks to come the SSIO Indonesia will be providing a comprehensive list of needs that can be supported internationally by the SSIO.