PMI Strengthens Humanitarian Operation, Continues Sending Logistics for NTT Earthquake Victims
The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) is continuing to strengthen its humanitarian operation to assist communities affected by the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Logistics aid is being dispatched in stages to meet the basic needs of the population while supporting emergency response efforts in the affected areas.
To date, approximately 20 tonnes of PMI aid has been sent to NTT. The assistance has been mobilised through PMI’s warehouse network, spanning central, regional and subregional facilities.
The shipments are being carried out in cooperation with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Indonesian Air Force. One consignment departed from the National Logistics Cluster Warehouse at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta aboard an Indonesian Air Force Boeing A-7305 aircraft.
In addition to Jakarta, PMI is also mobilising logistics from its central regional warehouse in Gresik as well as subregional warehouses in Kupang and Mataram. PMI has also established a logistics hub in Labuan Bajo to strengthen the distribution system for aid across NTT.
Ilham Huznul, Head of the Facilities and Infrastructure Bureau at PMI Headquarters, said the logistics shipments follow the directive of PMI Chairman Jusuf Kalla to reinforce the humanitarian operation assisting communities affected by the NTT earthquake.
“Following the directive of PMI Chairman Mr Jusuf Kalla, the NTT earthquake response is a major operation. We continue to mobilise logistics to meet the needs of communities affected by the earthquake in NTT. To date, around 20 tonnes of PMI aid has been dispatched in stages,” he told Media Indonesia on Thursday (20/8).
According to him, aid is being dispatched from multiple points to accelerate the mobilisation and distribution process.
“Aid is not only sent from the National Logistics Cluster Warehouse in Jakarta and PMI’s central regional warehouse in Gresik, but we are also optimising PMI’s subregional warehouses in Kupang and Mataram. We are doing this so that aid can move more quickly towards the affected areas,” Ilham added.
He explained that utilising multiple warehouse locations is PMI’s strategy for addressing the extensive needs of the humanitarian operation.
“Logistics sources are not solely concentrated in Jakarta. We are optimising stock available at central, regional and subregional warehouses. With this approach, we can manage mobilisation from several points and accelerate the fulfilment of needs in the affected areas,” he concluded.