Indonesia has been struck by a devastating earthquake, with hundreds of people killed - many of them children.
Your support today can help provide urgent support to communities affected by the earthquake.
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake has hit the town of Cianjur West Java in Indonesia. At least 318 people have died, many of them children. More than 7,729 people have been left injured. The National Search and Rescue Agency continues to search for missing people, although weather conditions such as heavy rain is hampering rescue efforts.
It is the most deadly earthquake in Indonesia since the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami that claimed approximately 4,340 lives.
There is extensive damage to buildings, including a mosque, schools, boarding school, government office and over 1,300 houses. The earthquake was so strong that it was felt in the capital Jakarta, more than 75km away.
People impacted by the earthquake urgently need medical services, emergency shelters, sleeping supplies, clean water and food.
Caritas Australia's partners are on the ground responding to support communities who require immediate assistance and assessing the most urgent needs. They are also collaborating with local leaders in impacted communities to carry out medical services and health education.
Your generous support can help provide emergency support to help families recover and rebuild from disaster.
Indonesia is located on the Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Ocean, where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. Indonesia records thousands of earthquakes every year, but most are minor and do not lead to casualties.
However, in recent years there have been several deadly earthquakes that have struck Indonesia. In February this year, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake killed at least 25 people and injured more than 460.
In 2018, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck the West Sulawesi province, killing more than 4,300 people and injuring more than 10,000.
The most devastating earthquake in Indonesia's history is the 2004 Boxing Day earthquake and tsunami, which claimed the lives of more than 227,898 people, with more than 130,736 deaths in Indonesia alone.
While a 5.6 magnitude earthquake would typically be expected to cause only light damage to buildings and other structures, this particular earthquake caused significant damage and loss of life in Indonesia.
Inadequate infrastructure can mean that buildings that are not earthquake-proof are at risk of collapsing. At least 80 schools suffered damage during the earthquake and many of the casualties were children attending school.
The earthquake was also closer to the surface and located inland, near where people live, resulting in damage to buildings in populated areas.
The funds raised through this appeal will be used to provide immediate and longer-term humanitarian assistance to communities affected by an earthquake in Indonesia. Where this is not possible, the funds will be used to provide immediate and longer-term development and humanitarian assistance to communities affected by crises and poverty across the world. If any excess funds remain after a crisis, or if there are changes in circumstances beyond our control that limit our ability to use the funds, they are kept in the Emergency Response Appeal so that we can respond to ongoing development needs and future crises across all our regions.