| The earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck Yogyakarta and surrounding areas in Central Java on 27 May, causing widespread destruction, injuries and loss of lives.
It is now estimated that nearly 5,800 people were killed and just less than 38,000 injured. As many as 1.5 million have been left homeless by the quake.
According to Indonesian media, due to increasing demand, the prices of construction materials such as sand, stones, bricks, cement and wood have increased sharply, making the task of rebuilding more difficult.
To date, the humanitarian community and the Indonesian government have distributed more than 140,000 tarpaulins or tents to 122,300 households.
Justin Cuckow, who has just returned from leading the British Red Cross logistics team, said there is still work to be done:
“The earthquake operation has been divided into three phases – emergency phase lasting two months; rehabilitation, two to twelve months; and reconstruction, seven to 24 months.”
In the meantime, the Indonesian volcano, Mount Merapi continues to pose a threat to surrounding areas, as lava flows down the mountain. As a result more than 6,300 people have been evacuated from their homes.
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