Animal Rescue: Post-Tsunami in Java, Indonesia

A powerful earthquake on Monday, 17 July sent towering waves crashing into a 110-mile stretch of Java's southern coast, destroying scores of habitations and killing over 650 people.

IFAW responded immediately within 24 hours by sending a team of 5 staff (including vets and animal care staff from local group CARE Center for Animal Rehabilitation & Education) to the tsunami-affected areas about 200 Kms from Yogja, where the IFAW/CARE team recently responded to the recent earthquakes & volcano. The team conducted assessments reported below:

“The effect of an undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 led to an ensuing tsunami that struck areas along the south coast of Java. Although the Pangandaran and Cilacap areas are among the worst affected, the destruction spanned over a long coastline from west to east Java mainly 1 Km from the coast.”

The IFAW/CARE team found abandoned and displaced pets & livestock. The team was able to provide veterinary care to injured animals that included both pets and livestock such as cattle, sheep, ducks, geese, and chickens.

The IFAW/CARE team is continuing their operations at Pangandaran. The team plans to undertake a four week-long operation to provide medical care to injured pets & livestock as well as assist animal owners with animal feed. They plan to work along the affected coast traveling to villages & fishing hamlets. In addition, they plan to assist some local people in fostering animals until their owners can care for them or new homes can be found for these displaced pets.

Further updates will follow as the IFAW/CARE team continues to provide relief assistance for the victims of this recent Tsunami.