Gov’t to Provide Cash Assistance to Flood-affected Residents

Head of BNPB Doni Monardo accompanied by Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono delivers a press statement after a Limited Meeting on the Prevention and Post-Disaster Management of Floods, at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (8/1). (Photo by: Ibrahim/PR)

The Government has announced it will provide financial assistance for the people affected by floods and landslide that hit several parts of West Java Province, Banten Province, and the Special Capital Region of Jakarta.

“The President said that the Government will disburse Rp50 million for severely damaged houses, Rp25 million for moderately damaged, and Rp10 million for minor damage,” Head of the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo told reporters after attending a Limited Meeting on the Prevention and Post-Disaster Management of Floods, at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (8/1).

According to Doni, there will be no temporary shelters, but the people whose houses are damaged will be given Rp500,000/month of cash assistance to rent house until their houses are rebuilt.

For the record, floods and landslide which hit Jakarta and its satellite cities claimed 61 lives and caused serious damage.

Doni also said that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo expressed his highest appreciation to all parties involved in the evacuation of the victims.

“All layers of society including the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), and all volunteers joined forces since the day the floods and landslide hit those regions,” he said.

The President, he added, also called for the continuation of this cooperation, so that post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction process can be well-implemented and the people can do their daily activities like before.

Doni added that the BNPB also provided inputs to the President on disaster management on provinces and cities/regencies and suggested the President to strengthen institutional capacity of the BPBD, along with its human resources, logistics support, and facilities.

“Therefore, alertness on disasters that are predicted to occur annually in Jakarta, West Java, and Banten, such as floods, flash flood, and other hydro meteorological hazards will be increased,” Doni said.

President Jokowi also called for an increase in reforestation on areas that have been depleted by planting strong, deep roots plants, and vetiver grass acknowledged by the World Bank as a means to prevent erosion and landslide, Doni added.  (TGH/HIM/ES)

Translated by : Rany Anjany
Reviewed by : Muhardi/M. Ersan Pamungkas