A number of charities have launched fundraising appeals in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia.
At least 832 people have died and over 16,000 displaced after the natural disasters in Central Sulawesi on Friday.
According to United Nations estimates, some 191,000 are in urgent need of help.
Mass burials have begun for the victims found so far, with warnings that hundreds - possibly thousands - more are buried in mud and trapped under collapsed buildings.
A lack of machinery has slowed down the search and around 60 people are believed to still be buried under one hotel in Palu - the city of more than 300,000 where most of the dead have so far been found.
Some 1,200 inmates have also escaped from three prisons in the region, according to authorities.
This photo shows Palu, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Homes, schools, hospitals and mosques have been destroyed following a 7.4 earthquake and subsequent tsunami | Image: Irish Red Cross
Oxfam
Charity Oxfam has launched an appeal for €3m to "urgently reach half a million people affected by deadly Indonesia earthquake and tsunami".
They are scaling up their response after the Indonesian government called for international support on Monday and announced that more than 2.4 million people have been affected.
Oxfam Ireland's chief executive, Jim Clarken, said: "It's a race against time to save lives.
"Oxfam is scaling up its response to reach 500,000 people with essential aid like shelter packs and ready-to-eat food as well as water purification kits and hygiene supplies to keep people safe and healthy.
"The scale of the damage from the earthquake and tsunami is huge.
"We're expecting the death toll to rise significantly as local officials are now counting the bodies in local hospitals and places of worship, while media reports say that mass burials are taking place to prevent the spread of deadly disease."
The public can donate to Oxfam Ireland's Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami Appeal here
Red Cross
While Indonesian Red Cross rescue teams have spoken of 'terrified survivors' huddled in a city rocked by aftershocks, and of entire houses being sucked into the ground.
Jan Gelfand, is head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Speaking from Jakarta, he said: "The situation in the affected areas is nightmarish.
"The city of Palu has been devastated and the first reports out of Donggala indicate that it has also been hit extremely hard by the double disaster.
"Red Cross and other teams are working round the clock but the biggest challenge at the moment is getting access to all communities, and then bringing large quantities of vital relief supplies into the disaster zone.
"Transport links, power and communications are still down."
Red Cross volunteers have reported incidents of 'liquefaction' - where saturated soil has turned liquid and swallowed whole houses.
The Indonesian Red Cross deploying specialist teams from across the country to help with the Central Sulawesi response | Image: Irish Red Cross
The Red Cross is now appealing for 22 million Swiss francs (€19m) to respond to this growing emergency.
The appeal, which builds on an appeal launched in the aftermath of the Lombok earthquakes, aims to support a total of 160,000 people across the two disaster zones for 20 months.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent also released 750,000 Swiss francs (€658,746) from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund on Sunday to support the Indonesian Red Cross operation.
More than 175 volunteers and staff from the Indonesian Red Cross are currently on the ground and conducting search and rescue activities.
Twenty-two Red Cross water trucks and 15 ambulances with medical teams have been deployed, along with boats to bring supplies to Palu city.
According to Pat Carey, chairman of the Irish Red Cross: "The humanitarian situation in towns closer to the epicentre of the quake is a major concern.
"Food, safe drinking water, emergency shelter and medical care are expected to be the most urgent needs of the affected population".
The Irish Red Cross has launched an emergency fundraising appeal to support the Red Cross response to this disaster.
Donations can be made here - or by calling 1850-50-70-70.
UNICEF
And UNICEF is deploying teams in Indonesia to help reunite children separated from their families.
It says the exact number of children affected is not yet known, but they are working with the Indonesian government to assess the scale of the disaster and ensure children get the supports they need.
"UNICEF Indonesia says many children have lost their loved ones and all things familiar in their lives.
"In the aftermath of the deadly disaster, we're working with authorities to reunite unaccompanied and separated children with their families, support infant and young child feeding, provide clean water through mobile water treatment, and help children recover", said Amanda Bissex, UNICEF Indonesia representative.
UNICEF is on the ground working to assess needs, finding shelter for the families from the thousands of homes that have collapsed and ensuring that families are provided with safe drinking water.
Specialists from the Indonesian Red Cross carry out search and rescue in Palu, Sulawesi, Indonesia | Image: Irish Red Cross
Doctors Without Borders
The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has deployed a local team to Central Sulawesi to conduct an assessment of medical and humanitarian needs.
The team is made up of medical, logistics, and water and sanitation specialists.
According to the official report of Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the earthquake and tsunami has resulted to the deaths of 832 people (821 of which are from Palu City and 11 from Donggala Regency).
Also, 540 people are severely injured, 29 are missing, and a total of 16,732 people have been displaced.
A region prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity, Indonesia is considered one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.
