ASIA/INDONESIA - A priest: "After the earthquake, the displaced are desperate: humanitarian aid is urgently needed"

Wednesday, 8 August 2018

Mataram (Agenzia Fides) - "There is a need for humanitarian aid for the thousands of people affected by the recent earthquake on the tourist island of Lombok": says to Agenzia Fides Catholic Catholic priest Fr. Laurencius Maryono, parish priest of St. Mary Immaculate in Mataram, capital of western Nusa Tenggara province, highlighting that thousands of people are victims of the earthquake of 5 August which, according to government sources, has killed at least 105 people.
"People are suffering a lot, they need clothes, food, water, medicine... to survive", notes Fr. Maryono. "The displaced people sleep on the streets and are gripped by great anguish and sadness", he adds.
In the minds of the population there is still the memory of the devastating tsunami of 2004 which caused the death of 168,000 people in Indonesia. The earthquake has destroyed homes and lives in this vast archipelago, causing the displacement of more than 84,000 people, according to the spokesperson of the National Agency for Disaster Management, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. International humanitarian agencies and countries around the world have started sending aid for the survivors. "The challenge for relief work is enormous", notes the priest.
Caritas Indonesia and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) have mobilized in soliciting international funds around the world and are contributing to the work of humanitarian aid, at various levels. Furthermore, "Catholic hospitals across the country have sent their medical staff (doctors and nurses) to the affected area to provide service", says Sister Paulina of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit to Fides. (SD) (Agenzia Fides, 8/8/2018)


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