Emergency response
-
Photo: Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps
Life can change for millions of families in an instant: natural disasters can take loved ones and the outbreak of war drive families from their homes. When the unthinkable happens, Mercy Corps delivers rapid, lifesaving aid to hard-hit communities.
All stories about Emergency response
-
Indonesia: We won't stop now October 7, 2009
I wasn't joking when I wrote in my previous blog post that Padang is one of my favorite holiday destinations. So it was amazing this morning as I drove with our emergency response team to Pesisir Selatan district and saw the beautiful white sandy beaches along the coast.
-
The challenges of post-tsunami Samoa October 7, 2009
Monday was a very long day. We visited with dozens and dozens of South Pacific Business Development Foundation (SPBD) ladies who have been severely impacted by the Samoan Tsunami. The stories they tell and their grief is extreme.
-
Where her house once stood October 7, 2009
On September 29, a tsunami hit the southeast coast of Samoa. More than a hundred and forty people were killed — for a population of only 185,000 people, that is devastating.
-
Indonesia: Three countries, seven cities, one call October 6, 2009
Especially during the first several days in the aftermath of an disaster, a diverse group of Mercy Corps staff comes together for phone conferences to coordinate and discuss what's happening on the ground.
-
Indonesia: How can you help earthquake survivors? October 6, 2009
Today I visited Ulakan village for the second time and, again, I saw many worried faces among the survivors in earthquake-affected communities. Tents fashioned from tarpaulins and plastic bags are still standing in front of their houses, makeshift homes for entire families.
-
Indonesia: Searching for answers in Padang October 6, 2009
I feel like my heart stopped for seconds when I watched the news on TV that afternoon. Once again, Padang had been shaken by a massive earthquake. And this time it was really destructive.
-
Indonesia: Disaster risk reduction in Padang — not just earthquakes October 6, 2009
Flying in to Padang to help our team with earthquake response, an aerial view makes it clear that earthquakes are not the only problem people have to deal with now or anticipate in the future.
-
Indonesia: Excited to help October 5, 2009
I finally arrived in Padang four days after the earthquake struck the western part of Sumatra Island. I've lived in a few parts of Indonesia, yet have never been here before. However, I always wished to visit this place to enjoy its natural beauty and tourist hospitality.
-
Indonesia: A village prepares — and survives October 5, 2009
When a massive earthquake hit the West Sumatran village of Mangopo last week, Zulkifli didn’t panic. Instead, he remembered the disaster preparedness training that he'd received from Mercy Corps and its local partner — and that made all the difference when the quake struck.
-
Indonesia: When it rains... October 5, 2009
It’s been raining since last night in West Sumatra, sometimes heavily.