Earlier this week, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck off the coast of Indonesia.

MENTAWAI ISLANDS, Indonesia – A disaster relief team from Operation Blessing International (OBI) has landed on the hard-hit island of Sikakap. The team, which departed from Padang on Wednesday, reached the devastated area by boat shortly after midnight on Thursday.

However, they were stalled offshore for 16 hours due to rough seas and severe weather, finally landing Thursday evening, local time.

Help children and families now!

The OBI team, consisting of doctors and relief workers, will unload the disaster relief supplies and begin an initial relief operation at first light. A second OBI team is on the way and should arrive Friday.

Mark McClendon, Operation Blessing International’s director in Indonesia, said, "There are many people dying because there is no medical relief that has reached them. Operation Blessing is focused on bringing in teams of doctors, nurses and paramedics as quickly as possible to bring that emergency relief."

OBI has deployed medical teams with supplies and medicine, and is focusing efforts in the hardest-hit Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra.

OBI also has a medical team working near Mount Merapi where Indonesia’s most volatile volcano erupted earlier this week.

OBI has worked in Indonesia since opening the Jakarta regional headquarters in 1998, helping over 850,000 people to date. The charity was a first responder to the 2004 tsunami, where it operated and built numerous medical clinics, treated over 180,000 patients and gave away over $27 million dollars worth of medicine.

OBI also distributed over 136,000 care packages and more than 52 tons of food. Since the tsunami, OBI Indonesia has built or refurbished hundreds of boats, with each boat supporting the economic needs of three families. OBI affiliates have also provided over 306 boats and have created 208 other livelihood projects including brick factories in Rigah and Lhok Kruet, where over 100,000 bricks were produced and used to build new homes.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.

 

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