Gov’t to Start Clearing Debris in the Wake of Lombok Earthquake

By Office of Assistant to Deputy Cabinet Secretary for State Documents & Translation     Date 10 Agustus 2018
Category: News
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West Nusa Tenggara Governor TGB Zainul Majdi responds to reporters’ questions after a Limited Meeting, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Friday (10/8). (Photo by: Jay/Public Relations Division)

West Nusa Tenggara Governor TGB Zainul Majdi responds to reporters’ questions after a Limited Meeting, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Friday (10/8). (Photo by: Jay/Public Relations Division)

West Nusa Tenggara Governor TGB Zainul Majdi on Friday (10/8) asserted that approximately 480 schools were damaged by a 7-magnitude earthquake that struck NTB on Sunday (5/8) and another major earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 on Thursday (9/8).

In addition to that, several referral hospitals and secondary health care were also affected by the quake, including a regency hospital in North Lombok which serves as the core of health care that has crumbled.

“Consequently, all health care services are centralized in field hospital, and hospitals at provincial and city levels of Mataram,” West Nusa Tenggara Governor TGB Zainul Majdi said in a press statement after a Limited Meeting, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Friday (10/8).

Nearly all Community Health Centers (Puskesmas) were severely damaged, the Governor added. However, he admitted that he is relieved that Minister of Health Nila F. Moeloek is committed to fix all of these facilities immediately.

According to Majdi, considering the fact that affected residents will likely stay at emergency shelters for a quite a long time, the Regional Government of West Nusa Tenggara urged tents to last long until the rehabilitation and reconstruction processes complete.

In a Limited Meeting led by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Friday (10/8), a decision to prepare legal umbrela in a form of Presidential Regulation has been made; it regulates that the Central Government will give its full support and assistance though the disaster relief is conducted by regional governments.

Moreover, the Limited Meeting is also agreed that during this emergency response, the Government starts the rehabilitation and reconstruction processes that will be began with clearing the wreckage. Because the affected residents tend to stay near their houses, they built shelter in an open space, for example in a field that usually can be found in every villages.

“I have proposed earlier, and (the Limited Meeting) has agreed to start the clearing process in 3 subdistricts such as Gangga, Bayan, and Kayangan because the evacuation process in these regions as well as other regions located at a promontory area has completed.,” Governor TGB Zainul Majdi said adding that the President can commence the clearing and rehabilitation processes when it is possible.

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