Natural calamities killed three and displaced over 5,000 in Christian-majority East Nusa Tenggara province
Family members leave their house for a shelter in Belu Regency of Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province after flooding and landslides hit at the end of last month. (Photo supplied)
Catholics in a Christian-majority province in Indonesia rushed aid to victims of floods and landslides that left three dead and displaced more than 5,000 people last month.
In the past week, Atambua Diocese and Catholic Youth in Belu Regency in East Nusa Tenggara province reached out to victims of the natural disasters isolated in their villages and being sheltered by their relatives in the area bordering Timor-Leste, church sources said.
Heavy rain and a tornado at the end of February killed three people and displaced more than 5,236, said Belu Regency’s Disaster Management Agency in a March 8 statement. The disaster damaged 625 houses, it said.
In addition, access to nine roads was disrupted and crops of at least 1,281 hectares of land were damaged.
The diocese paired up with Catholic charity, Caritas, to distribute aid to victims through a relief center at St. Gregory Nualain Parish, which covers most affected locations.
Caritas distributed 136 sacks of basic essentials including rice, instant noodles, biscuits, eggs, and soap to the local community by using military vehicles to reach the locations on March 3.
Father Maxi Sikone, chairman of the diocese's Caritas said, they "still need more help from donors" to assist more victims.
Octavianus Fatin, chairman of the Catholic Youth in Belu, said since last week they have been collecting emergency aid such as food and drink to distribute to affected villagers.
"We work hand in hand to help as we cannot expect the government to work alone," he said.
Fransiska Lawa Mali, a villager in the worst-hit South Lamaknen area, said she's received assistance from Catholic groups since fleeing her home at the end of February.
She said that the small-scale landslides began to occur on the afternoon of Feb. 27 in her village, but the villagers still chose to stay in their homes.
However, she said that night a large landslide destroyed houses, including hers, which forced them to flee.
"We panicked because it was the first time such a landslide had happened," she said in a video obtained by UCA News.
Franciscan Father Yohanes Kristoforus Tara, the parish priest at St. Francis of Assisi Laktutus, said that apart from dozens of badly damaged parishioners’ houses, the parish’s new church building under construction is also in danger after cracks appeared on the ground beside it.
“We have made emergency efforts by planting bamboo beside the retaining wall. We hope the rain will stop soon," he told UCA News.
St Gregory Nualain parish priest Father Oktovianus Taek said the victims not only need emergency aid but in the long run they need rehabilitation assistance to repair their badly damaged houses.
“Damage to residents' houses is a heavy burden because the victims have to join with other families, for an uncertain period of time,” he said.
The local government also continues to reach out to the victims. On March 6, the Belu Regency officials distributed food aid to victims in seven sub-districts.
Besides East Nusa Tenggara, flooding affected other areas in Indonesia, including several areas in Java, which submerged hundreds of houses for days.
The government's environmental agencies predict rainy season will last until May.
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