Natural disasters are on a rampage: Over 400 dead in Indonesia
Indonesia was recently hit a major earthquake which caused a lot of damage and claimed a lot of lives. Just 34 minutes later, officials called off a tsunami warning. This was a sign of relief. But it was as if the natural disasters are on a rampage.
At the same time, a 10-foot wall of seawater was tearing through the city of Palu and other areas. This was on an island in the centre of the Indonesian archipelago.
The tsunami was devastating. It tore homes off their foundations, snapped palm trees in half and dragged away victims. Some of the victims of the tsunami were preparing for a beach festival at dusk on Friday. As the waters receded, the sandy shores were littered with bodies. Many of the victims were dragged out into the sea.
Officials confirmed that more than 420 people died in Palu alone. The authorities are still in fear as it is being estimated that the body count could rise significantly from the 7.5 magnitude earthquake and the tsunami that churned over parts of Sulawesi, located 800 miles north of Jakarta.
The Vice President of Indonesia, Jusuf Kalla, said in an interview with the local media that the death toll could reach well into the thousands. Truly, the natural disasters are on a rampage.
Among the dead was the heroic figure of a young Indonesian air traffic controller. He stayed at his post when the earthquake hit to ensure that a plane carrying hundreds of passengers took off safely. He jumped from the tower and died before a medical helicopter could reach him.
The rescue teams are finding it very difficult to reach various areas as these areas are completely cut off due to the devastation caused the earthquake and the tsunami.
The earthquake and the subsequent tsunami are telling us that the natural disasters are on a rampage. Indonesia has been badly hit and many lives were lost due to one disaster striking after the other.
