Basarnas breaks through landslide-blocked access, expands search for NTT earthquake victims

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Basarnas has succeeded in breaking through a road that had been buried by landslide material in order to expand the search and rescue area for victims on the second day following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Nagekeo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Basarnas Deputy for Operations Edy Prakoso in Jakarta on Sunday said the deployment of personnel and main SAR equipment has been carried out intensively since 06.00 WITA, with operations focused on the Mbay area of Nagekeo and the Reo area of Manggarai.

“Land access in the Reo area, which was previously cut off due to landslides, has now been successfully opened by the team,” said Edy Prakoso.

According to him, the opening of the route allows the joint team, involving various elements from the TNI, Polri, volunteers, and the local regional government, to conduct sweeping and evacuation operations and reach previously isolated affected areas.

The Maumere SAR Office reported that based on provisional data collection and verification as of 08.30 WITA, a total of 112 people have been affected by the earthquake, with details of 48 people dead and 64 people suffering serious or minor injuries.

The number of victims remains dynamic and has the potential to increase as the sweeping process continues in the field together with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and local SAR potential.

“The public is asked to follow the instructions of officers in the field and obtain information from official and authorised sources,” said Edy Prakoso.