Bali BPBD continues rotating teams to assist NTT earthquake response

Denpasar (ANTARA) - The Bali Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) continues to deploy teams on a rotating basis to assist with the handling of evacuees and the distribution of aid following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

“The teams from Bali continue to rotate, including BPBD volunteers, and the Bali Provincial Health Office yesterday also deployed an Emergency Medical Team (EMT) from the Indonesian Hospital Association in Bali as well as the Ministry of Health’s Crisis Centre,” said Ida Bagus Gede Widnyana Putra, Head of the Prevention and Preparedness Division at Bali BPBD, in Denpasar on Wednesday.

Prior to the rotating personnel, initial response efforts began with a delegation led by the Head of Bali BPBD together with the Rapid Reaction Team (TRC), who distributed logistical aid, followed by a visit from the Governor of Bali last week.

To date, the assistance sent has focused on meeting the basic needs of evacuees as well as health services. The combined personnel are currently deployed across several affected areas.

Based on daily monitoring and coordination with local authorities, Manggarai is one of the locations most in need of aid support.

In addition to preparing medical personnel and basic logistics, Bali BPBD has also highlighted the importance of specific supplies for vulnerable groups in evacuation centres, such as children, women, pregnant mothers, and persons with disabilities who still require extra attention.

Regarding the total number of personnel deployed on rotation up to the twelfth day following the NTT disaster, the agency is still compiling data periodically as the movement of volunteers reporting and departing for NTT continues.

Alongside the deployment of field teams, Bali BPBD is raising public donations through the BPD Bali Disaster Relief account. He noted that to date, the total funds collected from donations by the Balinese public have reached Rp49,862,270.

The donation drive is scheduled to run until the end of August, with the funds planned to be distributed or transferred to the disaster relief account in NTT in early September, in accordance with the direction of the Governor of Bali.

“It is likely to be in early September. Regarding distribution, we continue to update because aid is also arriving from various provinces, especially the nearest ones we are monitoring from East Java and Central Java, which have also arrived. So every day we request updates from NTT so that we can provide the assistance,” Widnyana said.