Three Indonesian Areas Yet To Be Assessed

Disaster agency fears a significant increase in toll once the regencies are taken into consideration.

Indonesia’s disaster agency, while telling on Sunday that death toll from last week’s earthquake and tsunami has more than doubled to 832, said regencies of Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Moutong — with a combined population of 1.2 million — had yet to be fully assessed.

“The death toll is believed to be still increasing since many bodies were still under the wreckage, while many have not been reached,” said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Bodies covered in blue and yellow tarps lined the streets of Palu, while rescuers dug through rubble in the hopes of finding survivors from the twin disasters that struck Friday evening.

Essentials being sent

Aid and supplies were being sent to the area via military and commercial aircraft, including helicopters, to reach badly affected areas. Officials said the area was lacking medical supplies, fuel, fresh water and experts.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo toured Palu on Sunday. “There are many challenges,” said Mr. Jokowi. “We have to do many things soon, but conditions do not allow us to do so.”