The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
The magnitude 5.6 earthquake that hit West Java, Indonesia, on November 21, 2022, has affected thousands of people and significantly damaged many villages in two districts.
In the weeks after the earthquake, the situation became dire, with families living in cramped conditions. Often, three to five families, with as many as 20 people, live in one shelter tent. Limited access to clean water, inadequate sanitation facilities and a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission exacerbated the situation. The start of the rainy season also has carried risks of dengue fever and other diseases, which add to the challenges faced by the affected communities.
In response to the crisis, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is providing 1,400 temporary shelters for families who have lost their homes. Other organizations, including the Adventist Development & Relief Agency and Koperasi Mitra Dhuafa, a local women’s cooperative, are also assisting those in need. The Church and other organizations helped promote good hygiene practices among those affected by the earthquake. The field team observed that many families living in makeshift tents were suffering from upper respiratory infections and diarrhea, which could be caused by contaminated water and poor sanitation.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
