Rescuers back home after disaster relief efforts in Indonesia
They provided relief to thousands of Indonesians on the island of Palu.
A team of South African rescuers, some from Roodepoort, returned from the Indonesian island of Palu last weekend after nearly a week in the disaster areas.
Although there are strict requirements to meet in order to do relief work on the island, in the danger areas (known as hot zones) in particular, Cape Town-based NGO Gift of the Givers was granted permission to send a team across. The team landed on the island of Palu on Sunday, 7 October after a strenuous 30 hours of flying.
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The team consisted of rescuers and volunteers from all over, including individuals from local organisations Riga Rescue, City of Joburg Emergency Management Services, and Emergency Control South Africa – Joburg West, to name a few.
They began setting up camp on the same day, and were taken straight into the hot zone on Monday, 8 October. After a tiring day in the hot zone, the team hit the sack back at camp, hoping to get a good night’s rest before heading out again the next morning.
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They began setting up camp on the same day, and were taken straight into the hot zone on Monday, 8 October. After a tiring day in the hot zone, the team hit the sack back at camp, hoping to get a good night’s rest before heading out again the next morning.
But, much to their dismay, four aftershocks struck in 20 minutes in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, 9 October. The strongest aftershock measured 5,2 on the Richter scale, leaving the rescue team visibly shaken. They endured yet another aftershock measuring 5,2 two days later on 11 October, understandably terrifying them only more.
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Regardless of the threats they faced on a daily basis, the team continued their amazing search and rescue efforts. They came across immense devastation wherever they looked, and along with Gift of the Givers handed over some food and other items to assist the Indonesian communities.
The second part of the team, which included the Roodepoort and Johannesburg-based organisations, landed at OR Tambo International last weekend.
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