Govt response to disasters

Govt response to disasters

From Koran Tempo

The government provides equal treatment to disaster-stricken regions in Indonesia. In Aceh, the central government has directly handled relief in the tsunami-devastated region because all administrative levels in Aceh were paralyzed.

In the recent earthquake in Nias, relief efforts are being handled by the Nias regency administration, and the North Sumatra provincial governor is in charge of controlling the situation.

Three measures are involved in response to the Nias tremor: evacuating quake victims, supplying food and providing medical treatment. Evacuation has been conducted despite initial difficulties due to limited equipment. Food for refugees is available but its distribution is not smooth.

The government has sent five more boats to transport food, with the assistance of two helicopters from Australia. For medical treatment, medicine has been distributed and doctors assigned, with field hospitals ready to serve patients. Tents also have been provided for those rendered homeless and the government will supply materials for rebuilding homes.

The process of evacuation in the urban areas of Nias will speed up with the arrival 15 units of heavy equipment. After the completion of the evacuation, Nias will be rebuilt in the same way as Aceh.

RUSLAN SIREGAR Bogor, West Java