The Australian Government expressed sympathy while offering assistance to Indonesians who were victims of the earthquake and tsunami that struck the cities of Palu and Donggala in Central Sulawesi.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison in his interview on the ABC Insider Program said he had communicated with President Joko Widodo and expressed his sympathy and had offered assistance to Indonesia to address the earthquake and tsunami that hit the cities of Palu and Donggala in central Sulawesi.
"If he [President Joko Widodo] needs our help, he will get it," Morrison said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also added that "Indonesia did not ask for the assistance but the President really appreciated the empathy conveyed by Australians."
"The challenge is ... when you face a disaster that can happen so quickly that it provides the support needed to secure the location and ensure that the problem does not get worse I think it will be a huge challenge," he said.
Meanwhile at his press conference Sunday (09/30/2018) afternoon, National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho confirmed the death toll in the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Palu City had risen to 832 people and this number was estimated will continue to increase sharply and believe that the affected area will be bigger than originally estimated.
Many residents were reportedly still trapped in the rubble of buildings destroyed by the 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Friday (9/28/2018) and triggered a six-meter-high tsunami wave, BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said at Sunday's press conference ( 9/30/2018).
While the death toll that has been confirmed at this time is more than double that of 821 from Palu City, the authorities claim that it is still difficult to assess the situation in Donggala, the city closest to the epicenter of the earthquake.
Cars and motorbikes between the rubble of Tsunami debris
Large piles of car and motorcycle debris among the rubble of Tsunami rubbish in Palu City, Central Sulawesi. (AP: Tatan Syuflana)
He said, there were still no comprehensive reports on victims in the coastal and surrounding areas.
"The death toll is believed to continue to increase because many bodies are still under rubble, while many have not been successfully handled," he said.
Sutopo also said the mass funeral would be held in Palu for health reasons.
In addition, he also added that 61 foreigners were reported to be in Palu during the earthquake and tsunami period.
Three French nationals, one South Korean, and one Malaysian were still missing, Nugroho said.
The South Korean is believed to be trapped in the ruins of the Roa-Roa Hotel, where about 50 other people are believed to be trapped under the rubble of the hotel building.
No Australian citizen is included in the list of strangers. The victims will be evacuated to the city of Makassar.
Meanwhile, according to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, emergency services require heavy equipment to clean up debris.
He said fuel was very limited and roads were damaged, making search and rescue efforts even more challenging.
Food, water, medicine, tents, medicines, and baby supplies are also limited, he said.
Sutopo added that he hoped electricity would be operational today.
Previously BNPB also said "tens to hundreds" of people took part in the beach festival in Palu when the tsunami struck at dusk on Friday. Their fate is unknown.
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