The Sulawesi & Lombok Earthquakes 🇮🇩

01/12/18 05:16

October - November 2018: Humanitarian Deployment to Indonesia

In the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that struck Sulawesi and Lombok in 2018, I found myself deployed to Indonesia, tasked with supporting the Indonesian Red Crescent Society and other humanitarian organisations in designing and implementing the response to the crises.

On 28th September 2018, Central Sulawesi was hit by a catastrophic earthquake of 7.7 magnitude RS, which caused unimaginable destruction in the City of Palu and the surrounding areas. The disaster triggered a deadly tsunami, widespread mudslides, and a rare and devastating phenomenon known as soil liquefaction, which turned solid ground into a churning mass, swallowing entire neighbourhoods in Palu, Sigi, and parts of Donggala. This calamity followed closely on the heels of the devastating earthquake that had hit the island of Lombok just three months earlier, further compounding the challenges for humanitarian actors.

At the time of writing, official figures indicated that at least 5,000 lives had been lost, with thousands more injured. However, as more excavation and recovery efforts continued, the fear loomed that the death toll could exceed 20,000 people, making it one of the deadliest disasters in Indonesia’s recent history. The scale of the destruction was apocalyptic—tens of thousands of homes were reduced to rubble, critical infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water networks, hospitals, schools, shops, and hotels were either severely damaged or completely destroyed.

Upon my arrival at Jakarta International Airport, I was deployed to several key locations critical to the response. My journey took me first to Balikpapan, a key logistical hub on the way to the disaster zone, where relief supplies were being coordinated and dispatched. From there, I travelled to the heart of the crisis in Palu, where the sheer devastation was overwhelming, and later to Lombok, which was still reeling from the earlier earthquake.

The response efforts were a massive undertaking, with both national and international humanitarian actors working tirelessly to provide immediate relief. The Indonesian government, the Red Crescent Society, UN agencies, and NGOs, along with local communities and volunteers, rallied to address urgent needs such as shelter, food, clean water, medical assistance, and psychosocial support. Emergency shelters sprang up across affected areas, while medical teams worked around the clock to treat the wounded and prevent outbreaks of disease. Humanitarian logistics posed a significant challenge, given the extensive damage to roads and ports, necessitating the use of air and sea routes to deliver critical supplies.

Despite the vast scale of the response effort, the most profound and inspiring aspect of the crisis was the solidarity and resilience of the Indonesian people. Communities came together in remarkable ways, with survivors supporting one another and helping to rebuild what little they could from the ruins. Families and neighbours, though suffering immense loss themselves, demonstrated extraordinary strength in coping with their new reality.

My time in Palu and Lombok was both humbling and challenging, as we navigated complex logistical, social, and operational hurdles to ensure that aid reached those who needed it most. The sheer resilience of the people, coupled with the dedication of humanitarian workers and volunteers, left a lasting impression on me.

Looking back, this mission underscored the devastating power of natural disasters but also the unbreakable spirit of communities facing unimaginable adversity.

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The Sulawesi & Lombok Earthquakes 🇮🇩