- The foundation pledged $25,000 for relief efforts
- After the tsunami in the Sunda Strait, Tiku was hit by an earthquake
- Indonesia sits on three tectonic plates, according to experts
The Western Union Foundation will be sending relief aid to Indonesia after a devastating tsunami hit the Sunda Strait on December 22nd. The tsunami is said to have been triggered by an underwater landslide, based on reports coming from Jakarta. The landslide happened after an eruption from Anak Krakatoa, one Indonesia’s many volcanoes. Experts say that the country sits on three tectonic plates, making it more susceptible to disasters. Months prior to Anak Krakatoa’s eruption, Indonesia experienced other natural disasters brought about by the movement of these plates.
Over 400 people died because of the most recent catastrophe based on data from the country’s disaster mitigation agency. Thousands have been reported injured while over 100 people are missing. Various organisations started sending funds to Indonesia on Christmas Eve to help those who have been displaced and those who lost family members, while personal donations were gathered online. One of the largest remittance brands has also started mobilising its team to ensure that help is sent as fast as possible.
“Saturday’s tsunami hitting with almost no warning has had a devastating effect on the people of the Sunda Strait. Our Foundation is committed to helping people access basic needs for survival in times of disaster and to do so as quickly as possible as rescue efforts continue”, Elizabeth Roscoe, the VP and Executive Director of the Western Union Foundation said. According to reports, the foundation will be donating $25,000 to relief efforts. The foundation’s donation is a way for the brand to give back to the country, observers say.
A CGTN report on December 23rd indicated that an earthquake hit the country’s Tiku 24 hours after the tsunami, an event reminiscent of what happened in Lombok in August and Sulawesi in September. Based on data from World Vision, over 2,000 people died in Central Sulawesi while 4,400 were seriously injured. With an estimated 68,000 houses destroyed and damaged, the catastrophe resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. The Lombok island disaster, on the other hand, resulted in 500 deaths with nearly 1,500 people being injured.
Western Union also sent relief to Sulawesi and Lombok, according to reports. To date, WU has donated over $56,000 to Indonesia through the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Western Union is one of the most popular remittance brands in the Southeast Asian nation and most of the estimated 9 million Indonesian migrants transact through WU when they transfer money internationally as the brand has relatively affordable overseas transfer rates. Indonesian migrant workers send approximately $9 billion per annum, based on 2017 numbers. Analysts say that remittances are likely going to increase by 2019.
Other remittance brands operating in the country have not yet announced if they are going send help to Indonesia. Get the latest news updates about the world’s payments and remittance brands here.
