Direct Relief is reaching out to its partners in Indonesia to offer assistance following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake off the island of Sumatra today. News reports indicate that power blackouts have occurred on Simeulue Island following the quake and a tsunami warning is in effect for Indonesia; damage and injury assessments are being made.

Partners contacted in the region include Muhammadiyah, Island Aid, Yayasan Bumi Sehat, Mercy Relief, and Australian Aid International, all of which have valuable experience in emergency response.

Direct Relief has extensive experience responding to the medical needs of people affected by earthquakes, including the organization’s ongoing response to recent devastating events in Haiti and Chile. Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Direct Relief has developed strong partnerships in the region, providing close to $60 million in medical material aid and cash grants in support of relief and recovery in four countries, including Indonesia.

As the situation develops, Direct Relief is prepared to assist the people affected by this most recent earthquake as needed.