Turkish charity aids 7,500 tsunami victims in Indonesia

By Etem Geylan

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Turkish aid group on Tuesday dispatched aid for 7,500 victims in tsunami-hit Indonesia.

On Dec. 22, a tsunami -- likely triggered by a volcanic eruption -- hit Indonesia’s Sunda Strait. So far, at least 429 people have been killed, according to officials.

The Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) said in a statement that shelter supplies, food aid, and personal care packages are being distributed in the tsunami-hit region.

Indonesia lies within the Pacific Ocean’s "Ring of Fire," where tectonic plates collide and cause frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

In September, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country's Sulawesi Island, triggering a tsunami that towered up to 10 feet (3 meters) high and killed over 2,000 people.

The IHH was one of the first aid groups in Turkey to reach the victims immediately after the earthquake and tsunami.

On Dec. 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck the eastern coast of Sumatra, triggering a tsunami that killed around 230,000 people as it tore along the coasts of Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.