IRC monitoring situation in Indonesia following tsunami, volcanic eruptions

The International Rescue Committee’s Emergency Response Team is closely monitoring the situation in Indonesia after two natural disasters struck the archipelago this week.

More than 300 people were killed and hundreds are still missing after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami in western Sumatra on Monday. As many as 4,000 people lost their homes when the tsunami washed away their villages.

In addition, the eruptions on Monday and Tuesday of Mount Merapi, on the eastern island of Java, killed 34 people and forced nearly 3,000 to evacuate to emergency camps.  The volcano, one of the most active in Indonesia, erupted again today.

Those affected by the disasters are being assisted by the Indonesian government and nongovernmental organizations working in the country.  The IRC is not responding at this time, but is prepared to do so if the situation should change.