MALUKU (January 14, 2023) - The Ministry of Social Affairs responded quickly to the 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Maluku Province and its surroundings (10/01) early in the morning. Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini said that immediately after the disaster, the aid delivery team sailed to Tanimbar Islands Regency and Southwest Maluku Regency, Maluku Province.

The aid was brought from the Logistics Warehouse of the Maluku Provincial Social Office. The total logistics assistance distributed to these two districts is worth IDR234,860,440.

"We have provided aid there (to Maluku). My team has gone there with aid that morning (10/01)," said the Minister of Social Affairs during a press conference at the Ministry of Social Affairs Office, Jakarta (13/1).

Amid extreme weather, logistical assistance was distributed to the Tanimbar Islands Regency consisting of two tons of rice, 20 red rolled tents, two family tents, 10 red mattresses, 100 mattresses, 20 packages of family kitchen equipment, 20 packages of food ware, 30 packages of family kit, 30 packages of kids ware, 50 red blankets, 50 packages of adult clothing, 100 packages of baby clothing, and 120 packages of sanitary napkins.

In Southwest Maluku Regency, the logistical assistance distributed consisted of 2 tons of rice, 20 red rolled tents, two family tents, 10 red mattresses, 100 mattresses, 20 packages of family kitchen equipment, 20 packages of food ware, and 30 family kits packages, 30 packages of kids ware, 50 red blankets, 50 packages of adult clothing, 100 packages of baby clothing, and 50 packages of sanitary napkins for women.

The distribution of logistics assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs through the Maluku Province Social Office takes approximately three days by sea, especially to the Southwest Maluku Regency, due to extreme weather conditions and frequent high waves.

Moreover, the assistance from BBPPKS Jayapura Logistics Warehouse has arrived in Ambon, Maluku Province.

The assistance consists of 4,000 packages of ready-to-eat food, 1,000 packages of children's food, 3,000 packages of ready-to-eat side dishes, 500 packages of fried rice seasoning, 200 mattresses, 100 roll-up tents, two multi-purpose tents, 20 family tents, 1,000 blankets, 500 packages of baby clothing, 200 packages of adult clothing and 300 packages of kids ware.

This assistance will also be a buffer stock for the Logistics Warehouse of the Maluku Provincial Social Office for disaster response.

Not only distributing logistical assistance, the Ministry of Social Affairs Team through the Directorate of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (PSKBA) is also coordinating with Maluku Province Social Office Employees, Tanimbar Islands Regency Social Office, and Southwest Maluku Regency Social Office in assessing the conditions of affected disaster locations.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Social Affairs team also created Disaster Management Posts in areas affected by the disaster. Efforts continue by conducting assessments and collecting data on potential recipients of their compensation for families who died during a disaster.

The Ministry of Social Affairs also assessed the creation of a Social Granary. The existence of a social granary will facilitate access to assist the community by looking at the conditions in Tanimbar Regency & Southwest Maluku Regency.

The latest information obtained is that the locus of the affected area is the Tanimbar Islands Regency. There were two people slightly injured and one victim of fatalities.

218 houses spread across eight sub-districts were damaged, with details of six heavily damaged houses, seven moderately damaged houses, and 205 slightly damaged houses. In addition, 12 public facilities were damaged by the tsunami-potential earthquake.

In Southwest Maluku Regency, there were four victims with minor injuries, 138 houses were damaged spread across four sub-districts, and nine public facilities were damaged.

Public Relations Bureau
Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs