Indonesia Earthquake: Evacuees in need of basic necessities

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Europe

02:37

Now to the latest from earthquake-stricken Indonesia, where 131 people are now confirmed dead while hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes. More than two thousand evacuees have fled the hardest-hit areas in recent days, but the government says evacuation camps are still lacking basic necessities like clean water and medical supplies. CGTN's Silkina Ahluwalia has more.

Agung and his family have been displaced as a result of Lombok's powerful earthquake.

He fled his village as it was reduced in rubble. The initial tsunami warning forced him to flee to the mountains, leaving him to separate from his family.

It took him 24 hours to be reunited with his wife and children at this shelter.

It hasn't been easy adjusting to life here but continuous aftershocks have stirred fear and worry among the residents at his village.

AGUNG EVACUEE "I decided to stay at this shelter because the houses in my village are either destroyed or cracked and I was afraid to go back. The only thing lacking here is clean water and proper bathrooms, which are both desperately needed."

This is one of the largest temporary shelters for the evacuees, housing thousands of residents from five districts that were affected by the earthquake.

SILKINA AHLUWALIA LOMBOK, INDONESIA "Many residents here are living in uncertainty. They have left their homes, their jobs and their entire lives after Lombok was hit with two earthquakes in the past week. They are not allowed to return to their homes yet as the island is still under a state of emergency."

For now, volunteer doctors at this makeshift clinic is bringing hope and providing care in the wake of sorrow.

FITRI SUKMAWATI DOCTOR "The day the earthquake happened, we immediately focused on the victims. We are very limited here. There are too many victims and not enough doctors so we have to choose who to treat first. The first day was very difficult. Now, we are getting better but we still need more food and medicine."

Indonesia is no stranger to strong earthquakes. Back in 2016, a 6.5 magnitude quake shook the city of Banda Aceh destroying thousands of homes and killing more than 200 people. The country is located in what authorities call a red zone area, a particularly sensitive area prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides and flooding. Silkina Ahluwalia, CGTN, Lombok.