Prabowo considers visiting NTT to review earthquake response
State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi said President Prabowo Subianto is still considering a visit to East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) to see firsthand the condition of communities affected by the earthquake in the region.
“We will see how the situation develops. The ministers are already there. We will assess the situation and then decide,” Prasetyo said at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Monday.
Prasetyo said a number of government officials are already in NTT to ensure that post-earthquake handling proceeds quickly and in a coordinated manner.
These officials include Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo, Head of the National Disaster Management Agency Suharyanto, Head of Basarnas Mohammaf Syafii, Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus, and Deputy Social Affairs Minister Agus Jabo Priyono.
“They are currently in East Nusa Tenggara to monitor and ensure the handling of the disaster that occurred there,” Prasetyo said.
President Prabowo had earlier assured that the government is working to provide the best possible handling for communities in East Nusa Tenggara affected by the earthquake by deploying relevant officials directly to the field.
“We want to ensure that our brothers and sisters there receive rapid and maximum emergency handling,” Prabowo said via his personal Instagram account @prabowo, as monitored in Jakarta on Sunday (16/8).
As part of these efforts, Prabowo said the government had sent 50,000 packages of basic food assistance to NTT on Saturday (15/8) to help ease the needs of communities affected by the disaster.
The President has also instructed cross-sector cooperation to ensure that post-earthquake handling proceeds quickly and is well targeted. He has ordered relevant officials to observe conditions at the disaster site directly.
The President also asked teams from Perum Bulog, PT PLN (Persero), PT Pertamina (Persero), and PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk to be involved in handling the situation on the ground.
Prabowo stressed that the safety and fulfilment of basic needs of the community are the government’s top priority in dealing with the emergency conditions caused by the earthquake.
“The safety and basic needs of residents are the most important thing at this time,” the President said.
The Head of State also assured that the government will continue to make its best efforts to restore conditions in NTT after the disaster.
“The government will continue to make its best efforts to restore the situation,” he said.
In the post, Prabowo also expressed sympathy and prayers for the people of NTT who are grieving due to the earthquake.
“Our hearts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters in NTT, who are grieving due to the earthquake,” Prabowo said.
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Nagekeo Regency in East Nusa Tenggara on Saturday (15/8) in the early hours.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a tsunami early warning, but the warning was lifted at 07.30 WIB.
Based on preliminary reports received by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the earthquake affected several areas, particularly Nagekeo, Sikka, Manggarai, West Manggarai, and Ende regencies.
Around 2,000 people were reported affected, while the number of displaced persons is still being recorded.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) released preliminary data as of Saturday at 18.48 WIB showing that the total death toll from the earthquake had reached 47 people.