Social Affairs Ministry deploys personnel and mobilises aid to handle NTT earthquake
The Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) has deployed officers to affected areas, prepared temporary shelters, and mobilised logistical aid worth more than Rp4.5 billion, shortly after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul) said in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday that all disaster response elements have moved and are coordinating on the ground.
“All elements have moved and are coordinating on the ground. BNPB, TNI, Polri, Basarnas, Kemensos, regional governments, and volunteers from various elements are working together to carry out evacuations and provide the logistical support needed,” he said.
He noted that the NTT Provincial Government, together with the affected district governments, is also continuing to conduct assessments to ensure the condition of residents and the needs that must be met immediately.
“The Governor and the regents whose areas are affected have also been actively moving. For the time being, data on affected residents and infrastructure is still being collected,” he said.
“The team will continue to accompany residents. Those who need to be evacuated, we help evacuate; those who need temporary shelter, we prepare; their basic needs, we support. The team continues to coordinate because data and conditions on the ground are still developing,” he added.
Since the earthquake report was received, Kemensos immediately deployed Tagana personnel and Disaster Preparedness Social Workers (PSKB). They joined other response elements to assist with assessment, evacuation, data collection on residents, and identification of urgent needs.
Emergency tents have also been prepared for residents who need temporary housing. Several locations used by residents for evacuation include Mbay Public Field as well as several safe locations in Maumere, Borong, and Ruteng.
Alongside handling residents, Kemensos has mobilised logistical stock from the Efata Kupang Centre. Aid worth Rp1.015 billion has been directed to Nagekeo Regency so that residents’ basic needs can be met immediately.
Kemensos is also optimising stock available at the NTT Provincial Social Service Warehouse. Aid worth approximately Rp541.6 million has been distributed to support handling in Nagekeo, Sikka/Maumere, Ende, and East Manggarai.
To ensure logistical supplies remain sufficient during the handling period, support from the Bekasi Central Warehouse is currently being mobilised to NTT. Some has been sent to the NTT Provincial Social Service worth Rp1.482 billion and the rest to the Efata Kupang Centre worth Rp1.478 billion.
In addition to ensuring aid is available, the Kemensos team together with regional governments continues to verify and validate fatalities, injured victims, residents requiring evacuation, as well as damage to houses and buildings.
In affected locations, residents’ needs continue to be monitored. Emergency tents are prepared for temporary housing, while health services and logistical support are provided for residents still in evacuation centres.
Overall, the value of logistical support mobilised reached approximately Rp4.518 billion. The aid prepared includes 6,000 ready-to-eat meal packages and 1,624 children’s meal packages, 600 family kit packages, 1,700 roll-up tents, 600 blankets, 780 mattresses, 233 folding beds, 93 family tents and portable family tents, 24 multipurpose tents and four main tents.
In addition, 800 shower kit packages, 1,440 packages of children’s clothing and supplies, various adult clothing needs, underwear, house dresses, and worship equipment, 104 family kitchen equipment sets, two field public kitchen sets, and 10 portable emergency lamps.