“The Presidency of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) has allocated 1 million euros to provide assistance to the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia. The sum will be donated via Caritas Italy, which will keep track of the interventions and report them to the “Service for Charitable Action in the Third World”, the CEI announced in a statement recently published on its official website (www.chiesacattolica.it). The CEI recalled that on 28 September 2018, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter Scale struck the province of Central Sulawesi. The earthquake triggered a tsunami with waves up to 6 metres high which swept through the areas (Palu and Donggala) that had just been hit by the earthquake. The death toll reached 1,407 (in early October); more than 799 people have been seriously injured and 99 are still missing. These figures, however, are set to rise as in many remote areas the number of those missing has not yet been ascertained. There are almost 62,000 displaced persons packed in 109 emergency shelters. Over 65,000 houses and homes have been destroyed in this devastating earthquake and tsunami. And on 3 October, Soputan Volcano in North Sulawesi – not far from Manado (800 km from Palu) – erupted, spewing ash up to 4 kilometres into the sky (an event which was probably connected to the earthquake in Palu). “This initiative to assist the victims – the CEI explained – will cover different areas of intervention: the distribution of material goods, including water, rice, non-perishable canned food, food for children, mattresses and blankets, mosquito nets, medicines, hygiene and sanitary kits, generators, tents, plastic sheets, and water containers; the construction of semi-permanent emergency shelters; the distribution of kits to rebuild homes that have been partially destroyed; support to restart production activities that have been damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, especially those involving the poorest and most vulnerable households; support may also be granted for the rehabilitation or partial reconstruction of diocesan social facilities, charities and schools damaged in the disaster. A management centre for the distribution of material goods and for coordinating rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts has been set up at the parish church of Saint Mary in Palu. The diocesan bodies present on Sulawesi Island (Manado and Makassar) and the team of Karina/Caritas Indonesia are contributing to the relief efforts. All Caritas bodies and local Church organisations, the CEI reports, are in close contact with the local government and with other humanitarian actors on the ground. One of the main concerns is to reach all the affected areas and provide the aid available depending on the needs. Relief activities will be coordinated by Karina/Caritas Indonesia and by diocesan church bodies.