Sulawesi and Maluku Earthquakes: Prabowo Urges Prioritisation of Resident Rescue Efforts

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has called for swift services and the rescue of residents to be the top priority in handling the magnitude 7.6 earthquake disaster that shook North Sulawesi and North Maluku.

“As per the President’s directive, we must provide very rapid services. The rescue of the community is the utmost priority,” said Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno during a press conference on Thursday.

According to reports received, Pratikno also stressed the importance of data collection on victims and affected infrastructure.

He stated that information is crucial in post-disaster handling to enable quick evacuations and targeted aid distribution.

“In the initial stages, we must continue searching, rescuing, and evacuating victims as quickly as possible. They should receive the best possible services,” he said.

Furthermore, Pratikno said that the rehabilitation and reconstruction process must be carried out meticulously in accordance with established procedures.

He also reminded that disaster events can serve as a momentum to educate the public about future disaster risks.

“They (the public) understand about earthquakes and how to save themselves,” he stated.

According to him, buildings constructed must not fail to meet standards and become a cause of disasters.

“Do not let development instead cause floods, do not let development pose risks to the public, for example because the building structures do not meet standards and so on,” said Pratikno.

Previously, the tectonic earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6, centred at sea about 129 kilometres southeast of Bitung City (North Sulawesi), was detected at a depth of 33 kilometres.

The earthquake was a shallow type due to crustal deformation activity with an upward movement mechanism (thrust fault).

The shaking was felt strongly in several areas, including Ternate (North Maluku) with intensity V-VI MMI, Manado IV-V MMI, and some areas in Gorontalo with intensity II-III MMI.

BMKG had previously set a tsunami alert status in several areas such as Ternate, Halmahera, and Bitung, as well as a caution status in other areas in North Sulawesi.