Fundraising page set up to help Dublin woman living on Gili T Island
On 5 August 2018, a destructive and shallow earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck the island of Lombok, Indonesia.
The epicentre was located inland, near Loloan Village in North Lombok Regency. As its rupture spread to the north and reached the sea, tsunami warnings were generated.
Severe shaking was reported throughout the entire island of Lombok and Gili Islands while strong shaking was reported in the neighbouring islands of Bali and Sumbawa.
Indonesia: post earthquake evacuation proceeding from Gili T Island | from @trufflejournal pic.twitter.com/ojsdk3gbwO
— redball (@redball2) August 6, 2018
The death toll continues to rise and the extent of damage can't even be quantified at this point.
Fiona Smith from Swords, Dublin and her partner Ondrej Gomola from Bratislavia have lived and worked as managers of Blue Marlin Dive on Gili T for six years.
They have built a life for themselves and have afforded many local staff job opportunities of late, and are said to be "devastated" by the destruction caused following the quake.
The couple, who have lost their home, are now concerned about the 199 local staff they employ.
#Repost @inkacresswell with @get_repost
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Over the past year the Gili Islands have become my home and I am devestated to report that it has been destroyed by sundays 7.0 earthquake. The past couple of days on Gili T have been horrific with a curre… https://t.co/CDs5NDCr5x pic.twitter.com/GSMT117MRZ— Tayler Cresswell (@tayler) August 8, 2018
“Our little paradise island that we have called home has taken a hit and the foundation of our island and its businesses, which are the local people, have taken the biggest hit of all,” Fiona told Independent.ie.
Following the disaster and news that the couple's home had been destroyed, friends Dionne Taylor and Katie Lyons set up a GoFundMe page.
Money raised will go towards helping Fiona and Ondrej get back on their feet and buy the essentials needed to rebuild their home, and to help others.
"Gili Trawangan needs homes repaired so people like Fiona and Ondrej can live back here," organisers of the fundraiser wrote.
"Without the businesses open and repaired there will be limited tourists therefore the impact on locals and the island itself is unthinkable."
If you are in a position to help, you can do so here.
