Over two thousand people have been displaced by eruptions of the Rokatenda volcano near Maumere in Indonesia. Although these volcanic eruptions have largely not made mainstream media, our Caritas network is still on the ground helping communities affected by this disaster.
Mount Rokatenda on the island of Palue has been erupting episodically since October 2012, throwing out clouds of ash, and forcing families to evacuate from their homes. The local Caritas agency - Caritas Maumere - has identified displaced families who have not been given sufficient support by the government or other agencies, and is providing emergency assistance to them.
With the support of Caritas Australia, Caritas Maumere has been distributing emergency aid to over 200 displaced families, which has included food and non-food items. This support has been part of a broader emergency response by Caritas Maumere and other aid organisations, who have been providing food, health, emergency education, water and sanitation and psychosocial support to displaced families.
Volunteers from Caritas Maumere have played a key role in the emergency response, assisting in distributing emergency supplies. “Their hard work was inspired fully by the spirit of compassion,” reported staff from Caritas.