BNPB Head Invites Public to Help Maluku Quake Victims

Head of the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo encourages all Moluccans to help ease the suffering of people affected by earthquake that hit Maluku last month.

“Let us join hands to help our brothers and sisters who live in Maluku,” Doni told reporters after an internal meeting at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Tuesday (8/10).

Based on the latest data, he said, the 6.8-magnitude earthquake with an epicenter located about 40 kilometers northeast of Ambon at a depth of 10 km killed 39 people, and injured 1,578 other. As many as 170,900 people were displaced following the quake.

“As of last night (7/10), 6,335 were damaged by the quake consisting of 1,273 severely damaged houses, 1,837 moderately damaged houses, and 6,335 minorly damaged houses. In addition, 512 public and social facilities were also damaged,” he added.

The Head of Agency went on to say that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has instructed him to visit Ambon later in the evening. He added that he had visited Ambon just several hours after the first quake on 26 September to ensure disaster management program can be well-executed to all victims.

“Thus, I will return to Ambon this evening. Tomorrow morning, we will monitor the disaster management process to ensure its implementation particularly to the people affected by the quake,” Doni firmly said.

Also on that occasion, Doni called on the public to not share groundless issues, information, or hoaxes regarding earthquake and tsunami because the current technology is not possible to predict earthquake and tsunami.

“I hope that public can follow information which has been disseminated by government officials both in central and regional governments,” Doni said.

Translated by : Rany Anjany Subachrum
Edited by : Mia Medyana Bonaedy