Following the earthquake and tsunami that destroyed large parts of the region surrounding the city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi on 28 September 2018, on Monday evening a Swiss Humanitarian Aid advance team was dispatched to Indonesia to determine the most urgent needs.
Swiss Humanitarian Aid, which is part of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, had offered its assistance to the Indonesian government on Saturday.
On the evening of 1 October 2018, seven Swiss experts in the fields of medicine, drinking water and hygiene, construction (emergency shelter), security and logistics left Zurich for Indonesia. They will visit the region around the city of Palu in central Sulawesi to find out what support is most urgently needed, particularly in the areas worst affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
At the same time the Swiss team will be supporting the Indonesian authorities with medical care, carrying out structural analysis of affected buildings, assessing the quality of drinking water (using mobile laboratories) and commencing initial humanitarian measures.
Immediately after the disaster and its magnitude became known, the Swiss embassy in Jakarta and the Crisis Management Centre in Bern contacted registered Swiss citizens in the emergency zone and updated the FDFA’s travel advice. There is currently no indication of any Swiss citizens among the victims. Swiss travellers in the region who may need assistance are encouraged to contact the embassy.
