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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2018/oct/01/indonesia-tsunami-death-toll-expected-to-rise-as-rescuers-try-to-reach-donggala-live
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| Indonesia tsunami: death toll rises to 844 as rescuers struggle to get to victims - live | Indonesia tsunami: death toll rises to 844 as rescuers struggle to get to victims - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| What we know so far | |
| The death toll has risen to 844. However, this still doesn’t account for some of the worst hit areas in the region, such as the city of Donggala and the Balaroa region, where an entire housing estate home to 900 people sunk into the ground. Rescue teams have not been able to reach these areasyet to begin evacuations and body counts. | |
| Some 600 people have been hospitalised and more than 48,000 have been displaced | |
| Electricity is still down in the effected region, hampering rescue efforts, and there is a major shortage of fuel | |
| Teams began work burying the bodies in mass graves in the hills above Palu to prevent the spread of disease. A 100-metre long grave has been dug in preparation for 1,000 bodies. | |
| Palu airport will be open for a single flight a day to another area of Sulawesi | |
| 1,425 prisoners are now missing from local jails | |
| The official death toll did not increase as much as some had expected, mainly because some of the worst hit areas have still yet to be accessed by rescuers. The heavy machinery needed to lift up and uncover bodies from the rubble is also only just arriving into the area. | |
| Of the 844 casualties, most recorded deaths were in the city of Palu- 821 people- which is the area most rescue teams are currently located. In the Parigi Moutong region 12 people have died and in Donggala the death toll still stands at 11. A total of 744 bodies have been identified. | |
| The press conference has now ended. We will post a summary of the updates shortly | |
| One of the points most severely affected by the earthquake was Balaroa National Park in Palu. When the earthquake struck, the land, which was heavily occupied, moved up and then sank down by 5 metres, said Sutopo. | |
| “We do not know how many victims have been buried here, we estimate in the hundreds,” he added. | |
| The bodies of the six-man paragliding team who had been staying at a hotel in Palu for a local competition have not been found, said Sutopo | The bodies of the six-man paragliding team who had been staying at a hotel in Palu for a local competition have not been found, said Sutopo |
| Sutopo said that the damage and death at Talise beach, in Palu, was “severe”. Hundreds had been gathered on the beach for the Nomini music festival, when the tsunami wave hit. Sutopo said many bodies had been found amongst the debris but they were still waiting on an official death toll from the area. | Sutopo said that the damage and death at Talise beach, in Palu, was “severe”. Hundreds had been gathered on the beach for the Nomini music festival, when the tsunami wave hit. Sutopo said many bodies had been found amongst the debris but they were still waiting on an official death toll from the area. |
| Sutopo contradicted earlier reports that the government had given the residents of Palu permission to loot food from the shops. | Sutopo contradicted earlier reports that the government had given the residents of Palu permission to loot food from the shops. |
| “The Minister of Home Affairs did not legalise looting in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi,” he said. | “The Minister of Home Affairs did not legalise looting in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi,” he said. |
| “Hundreds of residents have queued up outside the airport, because they are traumatized so they wanted to leave Palu,” said Sutopo. | “Hundreds of residents have queued up outside the airport, because they are traumatized so they wanted to leave Palu,” said Sutopo. |
| The new flight schedule will only be one flight a day, between Palu and Makassar, on an aircraft which seats 70 people. Departures will approximately be at 7-9 am. | The new flight schedule will only be one flight a day, between Palu and Makassar, on an aircraft which seats 70 people. Departures will approximately be at 7-9 am. |
| Palu airport will be re-opened for limited flights. | Palu airport will be re-opened for limited flights. |
| Sutopo said evacuation of Balaroa, an area where hundreds lived in a housing complex which sank five mtres into the ground during the earthquake, was proving difficult for rescue teams because of lack of access. | Sutopo said evacuation of Balaroa, an area where hundreds lived in a housing complex which sank five mtres into the ground during the earthquake, was proving difficult for rescue teams because of lack of access. |
| “In the Patobo it is estimated that hundreds of victims have died from being buried in mud,” he added | “In the Patobo it is estimated that hundreds of victims have died from being buried in mud,” he added |
| 144 foreign nationals who were in Palu and Donggala during the earthquake and tsunami, according to Sutopo. | 144 foreign nationals who were in Palu and Donggala during the earthquake and tsunami, according to Sutopo. |
| Sutopo emphasised that the disaster agency still had “limited data, information and access” to affected areas. “The electricity and communication conditions for Palu, Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Moutong are also paralysed,” he said. | Sutopo emphasised that the disaster agency still had “limited data, information and access” to affected areas. “The electricity and communication conditions for Palu, Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Moutong are also paralysed,” he said. |
| “Heavy equipment has arrived” said Sutopo, “but a large amount is needed to evacuate victims hit by debris and buried in mud.” | “Heavy equipment has arrived” said Sutopo, “but a large amount is needed to evacuate victims hit by debris and buried in mud.” |
| Sutopo has arrived and is now addressing journalists with updates. The official death toll has risen only slightly, to 844. | Sutopo has arrived and is now addressing journalists with updates. The official death toll has risen only slightly, to 844. |