More than 800 people are confirmed dead following the 7.5 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami which hit Indonesia on Friday.
Up to 10ft waves battered the city of Palu, Central Sulawesi, and left a trail of devastation. Bodies have been found along the shoreline and amongst rubble, and the death toll is expected to rise as rescuers reach the more remote locations.
Aftershocks continued into Saturday making many structures unsafe for rescuers to enter.
Heavy machinery has been called in to aid rescue from a hotel and shopping mall, where it is believed people are still alive but unable to free themselves from the debris.
Palu’s airport remains closed, hospitals have sustained considerable damage and many roads have been destroyed, leaving some affected areas unreachable. Power sources and telecommunications have also been affected by the tsunami.
It is believed the Indonesian military are using the airport to evacuate the injured and fly aid in.
Anyone due to travel to the area should be aware cancellation following a natural disaster is not usually covered by travel insurance, unless there is specific cover for Force Majeure or catastrophic events. More can be found here.
Search and rescue operations will continue over the coming weeks, and mass graves are being dug for those who have lost their lives.
Indonesia, prone to earthquakes due to being situation on the ‘Ring of Fire’, also suffered a powerful earthquake in August of this year, killing 460 people.