How you can help victims of Indonesia's earthquake and tsunami

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated the Indonesian island region of Sulawesi on Friday. The natural disasters claimed at least 1,347 lives, according to the death toll reported on Wednesday.

Officials fear the toll will continue to rise. Most of these deaths have occurred in the coastal city of Palu, with many victims still to be located within the ruins.

Mass burials have begun in the area, and thousands are now homeless across the region, sheltering in some 200 displacement sites.

We don't know the full breadth of the impact of the disaster just yet. As Reuters reports, more remote areas have been out of contact for over three days, though rescuers are finally reaching those locations.

Thousands of homes have collapsed in the Sulawesi region, along with hospitals, hotels, and shopping centers. Credit: Carl Court/Getty Images

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has requested "urgent" international aid, and the global community is identifying different ways to assist Indonesia during the disaster.

The hardest hit cities, Palu and the coastal city Donggala, are the most in need. According to Charity Navigator, officials are reporting that supplies like food, water, and medicine are running low, shelter is scarce for thousands of displaced people, and some of the affected areas are proving hard to reach. Clearing a path to reach victims and deliver aid is a priority.

BBC reports that aid agencies have been struggling to access affected areas due to damage at Palu's main airport, roads cut off by landslides, and power is out across much of the region.

So, how can you personally help?

Here's our list of ways you can support survivors, which will be updated to reflect the ultimate scale of the earthquake and tsunami's devastation:

1. Donate to reputable nonprofits and charities. 

Charity Navigator has published a list of highly-rated organisations that are focused on delivering general aid and relief, medical services and hygiene kits, as well as food, water, toilets, and basic shelter.

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Here are the organisations listed as working on tsunami recovery for Indonesia: Heart to Heart International, World Vision, Direct Relief, Project HOPE, Water Mission, GlobalGiving, Save the Children, International Medical Corps, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, and World Help.

Though not featured on Charity Navigator's list, Indonesian Red Cross Society (or Palang Merah Indonesia), Red Cross Australia, UNICEF, Oxfam, and CARE Australia, are organisations already on the ground or preparing to help victims. 

Indonesian Red Cross (or PMI) rescue workers use a tracked vehicle to move through an area destroyed by the tsunami in Palu. Credit: Carl Court/Getty Images

Doctors Without Borders has also deployed a local team to Central Sulawesi. The team includes medical, logistics, and water and sanitation specialists.

Global humanitarian aid organisation Mercy Corps has also sent a group of emergency responders to Palu, who will be working with local authorities — they also responded to the Lombok earthquake in August.

And Virginia-based relief organisation World Hope International, which helped victims of Florence, is providing a desalination tool to provide clean water.

2. Consider ways to help the most vulnerable communities. 

Natural disasters affect people in different ways, but the most vulnerable communities are often overlooked in the aftermath.

Humanity and Inclusion, a U.S.-based not-for-profit that promotes disability rights, is taking donations for basic aid and rehabilitation care for tsunami survivors with serious injuries and disabilities.

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Thousands of people have been left homeless from the tsunami, in addition to locals who were already experiencing homelessness. Consider donating to local, national, or international organisations that are trying to address the immediate crisis of homelessness. Oxfam, for example, is working with local Indonesian partners to deliver essential aid like emergency shelters, soap and sanitary items, water containers, tarps, and toilets.

Some of the most vulnerable survivors of a natural disaster are the youngest among us. Consider supporting nonprofit groups that serve children. Save the Children is on the ground in Sulawesi, providing medical care, emotional support, and child-friendly spaces in shelters with diapers and cribs. 

3. Keep checking in after the headlines have faded

The fallout after a natural disaster is immense, but it eventually stops making headlines. Once the media coverage has ebbed, those affected by the disaster still have to piece together their lives.

Keep checking in with your chosen charity to see how things are progressing, and check situation updates from the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Center).

Finally, if you need guidance on deciding which cause to support amongst so many worthy aid and recovery efforts, consult Charity Navigator's tips for how to give in a crisis. Strategies include giving money instead of material items and making long-term donations.