On Sept 28, 2018, series of strong earthquakes struck Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, including a 7,4 magnitudes earthquake, 10 km deep, epicenter close to Palu capital city, triggered a Tsunami. Waves reaching 3 meters height. The combination of earthquake, tsunami, liquifaction, and landslide caused significant damage and loss of life across affected areas of Palu, Dongala, Sigi, and Parigi Montong.
The tsunami that hit Palu Bay has damaged a number of shop houses, houses of worship, hospitals and residents' houses that are less than 100 meters from the shoreline of Palu Bay, in some points it was severely damaged, the building collapsed and flattened to the ground. Whereas fishermen's assets are lost, heavily damaged or lightly, namely 292 boats, 210 spinning machines, 113 generator sets, 206 trawls and 8 sets of strings, 8 anchor rope bales, 326 fishing sets, 375 electric lights, one oxygen tube, 18 FADs, 28 batteries and 8 charts.
Damage to fishing facilities causes a loss of income of IDR 5 million per month per fisherman. Based on data from the Central Sulawesi Maritime and Fisheries Agency (DKP), there were 294 Palu City fishermen affected by the disaster. The number of affected fishermen spread in five sub-districts in Palu City which became the center of fisheries, with details of 36 fishermen in West Palu, 38 in Ulujadi, 82 in Mantikulore, 138 in Palu District and 10 in Tawaeli.
Considering that the mangrove forest on the coast of Palu Bay is very minimal, even though the function of these plants. Mangrove is very beneficial to survive a tsunami. Another function is a coastal abrasion restraint. Therefore according to the direction, based on the results of studies conducted by BNPB, and starting to become the priority of the medium-term work of BPBD and the local government. However, until now there has not been enough support for vegetation recovery activities from donors, NGOs and other parties. The results of the BPBD Palu study showed that the best mangrove planting area was carried out along the coast of sub-district of North Palu and Tawaeli.
This project aims to improve communities’ resilience through livelihood recovery and market-integrated emergency Preparedness interventions;
(1). Planting and Sustainable Utilisation of Mangroves as a Tsunami Green-belt in Palu Bay by Women Fisheries Groups in Coastal Areas in Sub-district of North Palu and Tawaeli, and
(2). Market Establishment as a Logistics Mobilization Center in Emergency Response Period based on the Local Market System in Bolapapu Village, Sub-district of Kulawi
On October 10th, 2018, Dutch Public through SHO raised EU 11,2 million fund to support the emergency response to affected community. Significant changes have been made since throughout period Oct 2018 – Dec 2019.
ICCO ROSEA with PENABULU launched emergency response to life-safing needs, and emergency recovery of affected communities across the province. During the response, intervention focus on supplying food, clean water, installing toilet, improving living conditions by providing materials to build shelters, and the equipments, with specific targeting vulnerable groups; women, pregnant women, children, and eldery.