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18 stranded sea turtles saved following Sunda Strait tsunami
A team is currently searching for other sea turtles that may have been washed ashore by the waves of a tsunami.
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Shell-shocked: The Environment and Forestry Ministry is encouraging people to report any sightings of stranded sea turtles to the West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA West Java) or the Ujung Kulon National Park (TNUK) center. (Shutterstock/File)
E
ighteen stranded sea turtles were set free into Tanjung Lesung waters on Wednesday following the Sunda Strait tsunami, which struck Banten on Saturday.
Sixteen turtles were saved on Monday by a team comprising volunteers, local residents and personnel from the Ujung Kulon National Park (TNUK) center, the Vertical Rescue Team, the West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA West Java), the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), Indonesian Scouts Care (Pramuka Peduli) and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). They rescued two more sea turtles the day after.
The team is currently still searching for other sea turtles that may have been washed ashore by the waves. The Environment and Forestry Ministry is encouraging people to report any sightings of the animal to BBKSDA West Java or the TNUK center.
Read also: Sunda Strait tsunami death toll hits 429, Navy discovers bodies at sea
Tim SAR gabungan menemukan penyu terdampar di pantai saat mencari korban tsunami di Selat Sunda. Beberapa penyu terdampar di pantai. Tim gabungan melakukan evakuasi penyu dan melepaskan kembali ke laut. Semoga selamat terus. pic.twitter.com/5DTB5RrDyy
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_PN) December 26, 2018
BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho uploaded a video of the sea turtles being returned to shore on his Twitter account. He stated that the team was looking for tsunami victims when they discovered the stranded turtles.
“Hopefully they [sea turtles] will always be safe,” the post read.
The tsunami has damaged several areas within the TNUK and two of the park's temporary workers, Rubani and Sandi, were lost in the disaster. The national park also needs to repair a number of facilities, including the Citelag resort office, a wharf on Handeuleum Island and toilets in Cigenter. (wir/kes)
