Indonesia Earthquake Leaves Thousands of Children Displaced, Traumatised as Schools and Homes Are Destroyed
Thousands of children on Flores Island in Indonesia are in danger of being displaced, with fear and uncertainty looming over them, following a major earthquake that killed at least 70 people and injured almost 1,200.
The earthquake hit off Flores in the province of East Nusa Tenggara early Saturday, damaging 11,925 homes and leaving over 40,000 people in tents, evacuation centres and makeshift camps, disaster authorities said.
The disaster has also had a significant impact on services that children depend on. Sixty-five-eight schools and 172 health facilities were damaged, as well as hundreds of offices and places of worship.
Children were seen playing under tarpaulin shelters at evacuation camps around the island on Tuesday while families struggled to deal with the consequences. Aid workers and volunteers were distributing food and medical aid, and psychosocial support to help children cope with fear and trauma.
The disruption can be more than just the physical damage for children who have lost homes, been separated from familiar surroundings or have witnessed people being injured or killed.
The closure of schools also raises other issues. When families are in emergency shelters, their children may experience disruptions to their education and their sense of safety and routine.
The tremor occurred at a depth of approximately 10 kilometres just before 6am on Saturday and caused panic as residents rushed to evacuate when the tsunami warning was issued and later cancelled.
Child protection in evacuation centres, access to education and health services, and long-term psychosocial support will be key to Flores’ recovery as emergency response continues.
