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C. Sulawesi earthquake, tsunami victims to be buried soon
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People search for their loved ones among the bodies of the deceased at Bhayangkara Hospital in Palu, Central Sulawesi on Sept. 30. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
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mass burial of victims from the Central Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami will be held on Monday, according to the National Police and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
“We plan to bury the victims tomorrow as some of the bodies have begun to decompose. We’re afraid they could spread diseases in the vicinity if they are not buried soon,” said the police’s head of communications Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo on Sunday.
He added that a joint task force was still trying to find survivors and recover the bodies of victims.
Meanwhile, BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted on Sunday that the agency had been surveying locations for a mass grave in the city of Palu.
“[We’ve been] surveying locations for the Paboya mass grave in Palu. Bodies will be identified before being buried. The burial will be carried out immediately as [the bodies] will cause diseases to spread,” Sutopo said in a tweet, accompanied by three photos depicting him and several military officials in the field.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to restore order, the National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) had dispatched officers to stand by at several gas stations and convenience stores across Palu to prevent possible looting, Dedi said.
“The police and military have guarded gas stations and convenience stores to ward off looters,” he said.
Dedi said the police and the military had been sending constant supplies of food and medicines to assist relief efforts in Palu and the Donggala regency.
(rfa)
