The 7.5-magnitude quake struck just off the coast of Sulawesi, triggering an underwater landslide which set off a tsunami. The waves built up height and speed silently, the warning sirens knocked out by a massive power failure in Palu. When the waves crashed through the region, an estimated 1.6 million people were affected and more than 1,400 were killed. These devastating numbers do not include the countless pets and farm animals who will also have perished or been left suffering.
World Animal Protection is now on the ground heading to Palu City with a team of veterinarians to immediately assist the animals. This will include:
· Conducting an immediate assessment by visiting shelters where people have fled with their animals
· Providing assistance to injured animals and meeting basic needs for survival
· Providing emergency vet kit items for animals in disaster zones, once safe to do so, which will include dressings and treatment for wounded animals, treatment of diarrhoea, pneumonia and other diseases
· Assessing the wider and longer-term needs for the animals in partnership with the government.
"Seeing the impact of the tsunami here is devastating. Right now, our work is to help those animals in dire need; injured, without food or water and at high risk of disease. Our aim is to help those who are in shelters first and, once safe to do so, race to those who have been left behind.
"Local communities who survived this catastrophe will only suffer more, if they have no pets or farm animals to help them long after the aid has gone, for their livelihoods, transport and food."
While disaster response rightly prioritises people’s immediate needs, the long-term recovery from disasters is inextricably linked with the well-being of their animals. Communities in this area heavily rely on agriculture to make ends meet and in this critical stage, saving animals affected by the tsunami will provide stability for their future.
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