Indonesia open to international aid after deadly earthquakes, tsunami
Country prioritises assistance in much-needed areas after learning from mistakes handling aid after 2004 Aceh tsunami
![Children pose in front of a tent in Palu, Indonesia, where they took refuge after an earthquake and tsunami hit the area on September 28. Photo: AFP](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/images/methode/2018/10/01/903a4a8c-c572-11e8-9907-be608544c5a1_1280x720_211037.jpg?itok=hWO9-w0I)
The confirmed death toll has reached 844 people, a number the BNPB said was likely to rise significantly as many victims remained trapped under rubble or mud, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
Due to the magnitude of the disaster, President Joko Widodo has instructed Indonesia’s foreign ministry to start coordinating international aid from the likes of China, Australia, the United States and the European Union.
“We have learned our lesson from the Aceh tsunami in 2004 that, regarding international help, we have to be selective and only accept aid that we actually need,” BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said at a news conference. “We need to select the countries based on their capacity to help us.”
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