Public slow to donate to quake relief

A young earthquake survivor waits for medical attention at a hospital in Yogyakarta. Picture / Reuters

"Compassion fatigue" may be behind New Zealanders' slow response to the Indonesia quake disaster, which killed more than 5000 people and has left hundreds of thousands homeless.

New Zealand aid agencies said donations have been slow to come in since the magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit densely-populated central Java on Saturday.

The latest death toll is 5,427.

Oxfam New Zealand spokeswoman Prue Smith said it was possible that the sheer number of disasters over the last year -- including the Boxing Day Tsunami in South East Asia last year, and the massive quake in Kashmir in October -- had stretched the charity dollar.

"It's been very slow, and that's a concern," she said this morning.

"But every little bit helps, and we welcome any donations at all."

She said Oxfam's emergency teams were now supporting an estimated 20,000 people made homeless by the Yogyakarta earthquake, providing them with clean water and essential supplies.

Oxfam International estimates it will need around £15 ($44.58) million over the next three months for water, sanitation, food distribution and cash for work schemes.

Teams had been providing clean drinking water, installing water tanks at three hospitals, distributing tarpaulins for shelter and hygiene kits to prevent outbreak of disease among crowded makeshift camps that have sprung up around hospitals and communities surrounding the area.

Ms Smith said many survivors often died in the wake of a disaster because of unhygienic conditions, exposure and lack of medical care.

"At one hospital, there are about 5000 people camped outside waiting for medical treatment.

"They must be absolutely terrified with a rumbling volcano looming over them too."

Mount Merapi, the volcano overlooking Yogyakarta, has been showing increased levels of activity following several months of "high alert", and many aid workers -- including several New Zealanders -- were already in the area when the quake struck, preparing for a possible eruption.

Ms Smith said torrential rain on Sunday added to the misery of the approximately 200,000 people displaced by the quake, most living in makeshift shelters constructed from plastic, canvas or cardboard.

Despite miserable weather conditions and torrential rain, many victims were afraid to return to fragile buildings as small-scale aftershocks continued to rumble.

Spokespeople for the Red Cross, the Christian World Service and Caritas also said donations had been slow to date.

However, all said that their traditional supporters tended to post cheques rather than use 0900 numbers or credit cards to make donations, so more donations could be on their way.

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Wellington has also started its own quake relief fund.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Yogyakarta Earthquake Appeal can make a deposit with the Westpac Bank.

- NZPA