Ministry of Social Affairs Sends Aid Logistics to Maluku

JAKARTA (September 27, 2019) – The Ministry of Social Affairs sent logistical assistance to earthquake survivors in Maluku and sent Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (PSKBA) Officers from the center to assess the needs of survivors.

"The first phase of assistance has been prepared and is in the process of being sent to Maluku. At the same time, we sent a team to assess the needs of survivors," Social Affairs Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said here on Thursday.

The Minister said the assistance sent was in the form of 1,600 ready-to-eat food packages, 3 units of family multipurpose tents, 200 pieces of roll tents, 200 veldbed units, 200 mattresses, 350 pieces of blankets, 350 clothing packages, 200 kids ware packages, 100 food ware packages, 200 family kitchen equipment packages. The total initial logistical assistance amounted to IDR 800,916,000.

"As directed by President Joko Widodo, handling survivors is the top priority. For this reason, we send this assistance as soon as possible. Later the next assistance will be sent after there are assessment results from the Ministry of Social Affairs team that has been in Maluku," said the Minister.

In addition to providing logistical assistance, he continued, the Ministry of Social Affairs also prepared compensation for the heirs of 21 people who died (data until Thursday, 9/26). The amount of compensation for each death victim is IDR 15 million.

"So that the total emergency response assistance for Maluku in the first stage is IDR 1.1 billion," said the Minister.

The Minister said that immediately after the earthquake, his party immediately coordinated with the Social Office of Maluku Province and the affected districts to handle survivors and observe the current situation.

"Shortly after the incident, he continued, Tagana Maluku Province was already at the earthquake-affected location to evacuate victims to a safe place and prepare a public kitchen to fulfill the food needs of survivors," he explained.

In fact, he continued, some of the Maluku Province Tagana who were in East Java to take part in the 2019 National Tagana Jamboree and Social Office has returned to Maluku to assist Tagana personnel in the field.

"So they are currently taking competency tests and capacity building in the Tagana Jamboree. But because the scale of the disaster was quite large, they were immediately flown back to Maluku to help there," said the Minister.

Furthermore, said the Minister, Tagana also distributed logistical assistance to survivors in evacuee camps and Psychosocial Support Services (LDP) to provide assistance to survivors.

As is known, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook Maluku on Thursday (26/9) at 06.46 pm local time.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded the parameters 40 kilometers northeast of Ambon City with a depth of 10 km. This earthquake has no tsunami potential.

BMKG said that the earthquake was felt in the Ambon and Kairatu areas on an intensity scale of V MMI, in Paso II-III MMI and Banda II MMI.

Furthermore, BMKG also released an aftershock with parameter M 5.6. The aftershock occurred at 07.39 pm local time with parameters 18 Km northeast of Ambon-Maluku with a depth of 10 Km.

The National Board for Disaster Management  (BNPB) recorded that until Friday (27/9) at 02.00 pm local time, the number of casualties was 21 people. Consisting of 8 people in Ambon City, 10 people in Central Maluku Regency, and 3 people in West Seram Regency.

A total of 6 people were seriously injured, 107 people suffered minor injuries, and 2,000 people were displaced.

The earthquake also damaged 65 houses, one bridge, 3 houses of worship, and one road.

"God willing, as soon as possible I will go to Maluku to see firsthand the disaster management efforts carried out and distribute compensation to the heirs of the dead," said the Minister.

Acting Head of Public relations Bureau RI Ministry of Social Affairs

Sonny W. Manalu