Indonesia Earthquake: Fears of aftershocks and more tsunamis trigger mass evacuations

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02:19

The death toll from last Friday's earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province has risen to over 1,400. But as CGTN's Barnaby Lo reports, the trauma of the twin disasters has left many survivors wary of attempting to return home.

With several towns cut off in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province last week, there was no telling then how much death and destruction there was. One of them was Donggala, a town not far from the epicenter of the earthquake.

BARNABY LO DONGGALA, SULAWESI "As you can see, this whole stretch of Donggala's coastline has been obliterated by last weekend's earthquake and tsunami. But we've been to other parts of Donggala, many of them are relatively unaffected. The problem is the earthquake and tsunami have inflicted a different kind of damage on residents."

EVACUEE "We are still traumatized because there are still earthquakes and we heard that there could be another big one."

As a matter of fact, they go back to their houses during the day to bathe and change but they choose to stay in makeshift evacuation camps like this out of fear, even though they're running out of money and are getting very little help.

This woman was nine months pregnant when she fled. She gave birth two days after the disaster.

EVACUEE "I just ran without thinking. I even managed to carry my baby."

The more fortunate ones are fleeing elsewhere, where they have relatives and friends. But even that is a challenge.

EVACUEE "We've been in line since 8 o' clock last night."

The line – cars and motorcycles stretching some half a kilometer – is for fuel. Panic has gripped the island of Sulawesi, in areas far beyond those devastated by the earthquake and tsunami, even as aid is already trickling in. Barnaby Lo, CGTN, Donggala, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.