Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno\nassured residents of maximum emergency measures during an Independence\nDay ceremony in Manggarai district, East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
He said senior officials had traveled to the province immediately\nafter the quake to help affected communities across Flores Island.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been in East Nusa Tenggara since day one to assess the\nsituation and discuss speeding up recovery efforts,\u201d Pratikno said.<\/p>\n
Authorities have established teams to oversee relief distribution to\nareas most in need, including Reo in Manggarai District and Palue in\nSikka District, he said.<\/p>\n
Pratikno said ministries, government agencies and the House of\nRepresentatives were coordinating closely to ensure an effective\nresponse.<\/p>\n
National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Chief Suharyanto said\nauthorities had consolidated relief supplies at a logistics post at\nJakarta\u2019s Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base before sending them to affected\nareas.<\/p>\n
The supplies included 50,000 aid packages provided by President\nPrabowo Subianto and were sent to hubs in Labuan Bajo and Maumere.<\/p>\n
The hubs will distribute assistance to West Manggarai, Manggarai,\nEast Manggarai, Sikka, Ende and Nagekeo Districts, Suharyanto said.<\/p>\n
To overcome difficult terrain, the disaster agency and other\ninstitutions had prepared land, sea and air transportation, he said.<\/p>\n
Six aircraft were stationed in Labuan Bajo and five in Maumere,\nsupported by helicopters, heavy trucks and ferries to expand aid\ndistribution.<\/p>\n
Regional governments were also instructed to conduct rapid\nassessments of the earthquake\u2019s impact to enable immediate assistance,\nSuharyanto said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCollecting data on homes with mild, moderate and severe damage is\nour top priority,\u201d he said, adding that residents\u2019 immediate needs came\nbefore assessing damage to government facilities.<\/p>\n
Suharyanto confirmed that the earthquake had killed at least 54\npeople, while search operations and assessments of its impact were\ncontinuing.<\/p>\n
Related news: Gov\u2019t sends 52 tons of aid to quake-hit areas of E Nusa\nTenggara<\/p>\n
Related news: Government weighs Prabowo visit to monitor NTT quake\nresponse<\/p>\n
Translator: Sean Filo, Tegar Nurfitra<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-strengthens-ntt-quake-response-on-independence-day-1786953012", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }