Gov’t Sends Aid to Flash Flood Victims in North Luwu

Presiden Jokowi gives assistance to flood victims in North Luwu. (Photo: BPMI)

The Central Government offered a number of assistances to the flash flood victims that hit North Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi Province.

A total of 10,000 food packages were symbolically handed over by the Presidential team to the North Luwu Regent Indah Putri Indriani. In addition to the staple foods, the packages also consist of daily neccessities such as blankets, gloves, milk, towels and diapers.

High rainfall on Monday, 13 July 13 2020, had caused giant flash floods which damaged houses and public facilities and blocked access roads to the area. Earlier, President Jokowi had ordered his staff to inspect the affected region.

“I have instructed Minister of Public Works and Public Housing to immediately visit the North Luwu Regency and work together with the government of South Sulawesi Province, the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), and the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) to make emergency response efforts and immediately restore Masamba’s (the hardest-hit region) condition,” the President said on his Instagram account on Friday, 17 July 2020.

The Head of State also expressed condolences over the loss of life in the disaster and sent prayers to the families of the victims.

Meanwhile, the TNI Commander of Taroada Tarogau Brigadier General Firman Dahlan mentioned the biggest challenge faced by the authorities to distribute the aid amidst COVID-19 pandemic.

“Amidst the current pandemic, we are trying our best to avoid new cluster in the region particularly in the refugee areas. So the measures we took is to arrange the refugees in accordance with health protocols,” he said.

For the record, based on data from the Operations Control Center of the BPBD of North Luwu Regency as of Monday, 21 July 2020, flash floods have killed 38 people. In addition, 9 people were still in the search process, and 106 people were injured. The disaster also caused 14,483 people out of 3,627 households to evacuate. (BPMI/EN)

Translated by: Estu Widyamurti
Reviewed by: Yuyu Mulyani