Switzerland is sending a team of seven experts to help in Indonesia, which has been struck by a series of devastating earthquakes.
This content was published on
1 minute
On Thursday morning a tremor measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale hit Sumatra, a day after another very powerful quake hit the island.
A Swiss foreign ministry statement on Thursday said that the team would prepare for subsequent work by the Swiss Rescue service. From Friday, around 120 specialists are expected to be deployed in Indonesia.
The country is responding to an international appeal for help by the United Nations.
The Indonesian authorities said on Thursday that the death toll from Wednesday’s 7.6 magnitude earthquake had risen to more than 750. Rescue workers expect the numbers to rise, as many buildings have collapsed and people are still trapped under the rubble. Roads and bridges have been destroyed.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss school offers hope in Sichuan
This content was published on
It is a glimmer of light in a region plagued by censorship, state secrets and denials that has left many survivors in the dark on the fate of their loved ones. “We can and we must remind [Chinese authorities] that in our view they have an obligation to provide information in regard to victims and…
This content was published on
The Swiss authorities have offered help with rescue work and have said Switzerland is “deeply saddened” by the tragedy in a neighbouring country. The Swiss Red Cross has sent 200 tents to help the estimated 50,000 people who have been left homeless. Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz sent a telegram of condolence to his Italian counterpart,…
This content was published on
This information could help with risk assessment and quake prediction, according to Jochen Wössner from the Swiss Seismological Service at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Despite technical progress made in recent years, measuring earthquakes is still not perfect. Whether seismometers record an earthquake depends on the one hand on the density and quality…
This content was published on
Dogs play an important role in tracking down and saving avalanche victims in the Alps. swissinfo’s Jessica Dacey watched them in action on a training day in Hoch Y-brig.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.