Indonesia tsunami: Anger grows as communities remain cut off
Sky News' Siobhan Robbins says residents of smaller communities are angry over the lack of aid being provided by the government.
Wednesday 3 October 2018 09:10, UK
Isolated and angry, frustrations are mounting on the coast road out of the tsunami hit city of Palu in Indonesia.
Smaller, disaster-hit communities line the shore winding north to Donggala.
Donggala residents shelter in a basic camp made of plastic sheeting draped over wooden posts. They built it alone after their houses were destroyed.
It's three-day-old Gambita's first home.
Born a day after the tsunami, a flimsy tent is now the only protection her mother, Isma, can give her.
There's no running water, no toilets.
I ask what help is the government giving them?
"Nothing," Isma replies.
Destitute and deeply traumatised, the lack of support only worsens their pain.
Reliving the earthquake that destroyed her home, another mother, Sherley, bursts into tears.
"The ground shook and the shaking was very very strong," she cries.
"It blew the electricity, so we ran outside but the water level was rising so we had to come up here to the mountain. Everyone had to do the same."
Many smaller communities have been cut off for days - and say they are alone and without aid.
As we pass through one village, a crowd is having a stand-off with police.
"You're useless, get out of here," they shout.
They're armed with sticks and someone throws a rock. Despair has turned to resentment and tensions are starting to boil over.
Four days after the devastating tsunami and earthquake, aid still is not getting through here.
It is now estimated more than 60,000 people have been left homeless by Friday's earthquake and tsunami and many believe they have little hope of getting any aid.
Rather than wait for government support, lines of survivors now beg by the road.
They hope passing drivers will help where authorities have not.
"I'm not very happy," explains father, Ambun Tambunan, "because of the lack of aid we have to do this, we have to ask for handouts".
As they wait for supplies to trickle through, community leaders are gathering what they can.
Rauf Zainudin is co-ordinating aid for local residents where he lives.
In a small shelter he shows me a table of clothes and a few boxes of noodles, crackers and water.
The government has called for international support but patience is wearing thin.
"We've never seen a disaster this big so we hope when it comes to aid that it's not just the local authorities supplying it, but that the national government steps in to help," he says.
Conveys of aid are slowly rolling towards these shattered communities but some say they are arriving too late.
These survivors have lived through nature's brutal punishment and now feel forgotten by man.