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View all search resultsCoordinating economy minister office sends food aid, medical supplies to Sumatra
The Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister has dispatched around 40 tonnes of food and medical supplies to flood-ravaged Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, as the government pressed on with search and rescue missions for a disaster that has claimed nearly 800 lives.
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Villagers queue to purchase cooking gas cylinders on Dec. 3 at Pandan, Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra,in the aftermath of flash floods that struck their area. There is growing frustration among survivors of catastrophic flooding and landslides over the pace of the rescue effort and aid delivery. (AFP/Damai Mendrofa)
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he Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister has dispatched around 40 tonnes of food and medical supplies to flood-ravaged Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, as the government presses on with search and rescue missions for a disaster that has claimed nearly 800 lives.
Speaking from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on Tuesday, Coordinating Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto said the aid was a form of solidarity with people affected by the disaster.
The aid was gathered through collaboration between his ministry and various partners and donors, including the Indonesian Food and Beverage Producers Association (Gapmmi), Indonesian Textile Association (API), the Indonesian Retailers Association (Aprindo), Indonesia’s largest carmaker Astra as well as several other private companies.
The central government and anyone involved in disaster response in Sumatra, Airlangga said, must continue maintaining coordination to ensure that evacuations, medical services and recovery efforts run effectively, in addition to ensuring a swift, well-targeted and transparent distribution of aid.
“The government, together with all stakeholders, will continue to work hard not only during the emergency response phase but also throughout the subsequent recovery and rehabilitation stages. We hope these efforts bring hope to those affected,” Airlangga said, as quoted in a press release from his office.
Tropical Cyclone Senyar made landfall in northern Sumatra on Nov. 25, unleashing extreme rain and winds that triggered massive flooding and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra provinces.
At least 3.1 million people were affected with 770 killed, some 2,600 injured and nearly 500 still missing as of Wednesday night, according to data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Pratikno said during a press briefing on Wednesday that, in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive, the government has launched a “national-level response” to handling the disaster.
“The President’s instructions were clear: We must deploy all central government resources [...] so that every hour and every minute brings improvements and acceleration to our response to the people’s needs,” he said. (dds)
