The death toll from an earthquake and tsunami that devastated part of the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia has risen to 1,203 – with the total number expected to climb even more.

The tsunami, which was triggered after a magnitude-7.5 earthquake, ripped through the Pacific Ring of Fire and crashed into the Palu at 500mph, causing widespread destruction into the evening on Friday, reports Daily Mail.

Figures collected by the National Police Headquarters put the number killed at 1,203 people. The death toll is expected to climb even higher.

Search and rescue teams have struggled to reach cut-off communities feared wiped out by the disaster.

Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said access to Donggala, as well as the towns of Sigi and Boutong, is still limited and there are no comprehensive reports from those areas.

How can I help victims of the Indonesia earthquakes?

World Vision staff and other humanitarian groups are mobilizing and responding to deliver relief supplies to affected communities as quickly and safely as possible.

World Vision’s Doseba Sinay, national director for Indonesia has said, “Ensuring that survivors have their immediate needs met with adequate shelter, food and water will be critical over the coming days,” Doseba says.

“It will also be crucial to ensure children are cared for. Our past experience of dealing with quakes has shown that children will be deeply distressed and feel vulnerable if they have lost family members, homes or have lost their sense of security.”

World Vision say they have pre-positioned relief supplies in Palu, the Central Sulawesi capital, which includes hygiene supplies and kits for families and children.

Give: Consider helping to continue the flow of emergency supplies by donating to World Vision’s Indonesia earthquake relief fund.

Humanitarian organizations are also accepting donations in the form of funds, goods and volunteer work.

There is the list of organizations through which you can offer assistance to the Palu and Donggala earthquake victims on The Jakarta Post HERE.

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