Christian charities are among the humanitarian agencies across the world rushing to respond to the Indonesia earthquake that shook the area around one of Indonesia’s main tourist hubs, Yogyakarta on the main island of Java.

World Vision, Tearfund and Lutheran World Relief are just some of the charities assembling an immediate response.

According to the latest reports, the death toll of the 5.9 Richter scale earthquake that hit Saturday is soaring towards 5,000, with thousands more survivors left homeless and in urgent need of medical support and essential relief items.

World Vision is already preparing emergency relief to support the survivors, with the charity’s director in Indonesia James Tumbaum assuring that the organisation would provide essential relief items to the disaster area.

Tearfund staff in Indonesia are also assembling emergency supplies and staff to support the United Nations in their response effort.

According to John Samuel, Programme Director for Tearfund’s Tsunami response programme based in Banda Aceh, the social concern agency has already offered blankets, tents and antiseptic lotions to the UN’s emergency response.

“We have also offered staff to assist the United Nations’ assessment teams if needed,” said John Samuel.

He added: “People here in Indonesia are worried and fearful. This earthquake comes less than 18 months after the tsunami.”

As a member of Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, Lutheran World Relief announced Sunday it will commit an initial US$25,000 to relief efforts in the aftermath of the earthquake, to be channeled through the global aid alliance to ACT member agencies on the ground in Indonesia.

Within hours of the quake, the three ACT members in Indonesia – YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU), Church World Service (CWS), and Yayasan Tanggul Bencana Indonesia (YTBI) – were already responding.

Two staff members have already been sent by YTBI from Jakarta approximately 500 km away to coordinate the distribution of food and medicine, while 3 staff members have been sent to the quake-hit areas by CWS. Injured children are also being evacuated to Tegalyoso hospital in Klaten by a YEU team.

YEU staff member Natalia Caw reported an urgent need for more medical staff and medicines as well as surgical equipment to treat the thousands of patients filling up the hospital rooms, corridors and terraces.

CWS already supplied Bethesda Hospital in Yogyakarta with 500 blankets while it announced further plans to distribute 500 food packages and water. In a quick assessment of one of the four districts of Bantul CWS reported that in this area alone around 1,000 tents were needed as well as hygiene kits, baby kits and health kits.

More needs assessments will be carried out by YEU-CD Bethesda and the CD Bethesda’s People Organisation among others.