President Jokowi Instructs Teten Masduki to Fly to Aceh

A building collapsed after a tectonic earthquake hits Pidie Jaya, Aceh, on Wednesday (7/12) morning.

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo said that he already received a report about a 6.4 Richter tectonic earthquake that hit Pidie Jaya Regency, Aceh, on Wednesday (7/12) morning. The President instructed all relevant officers, according to their authorities, to help the victims. “This morning, I have received the report and I have instructed all relevant officers to move based on their authorities. Soon, the Presidential Chief of Staff will fly to Aceh,” the President said to the journalists after attending the Handing Over of the 2017 Budget Implementation Entry List, at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday (7/12) morning.

The President promised that he will follow the situation and the handling of the victims, including by instructing the Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki to go to Aceh to closely monitor the situation.

According to Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the 6.4 Richter scale earthquake occurred at 5 a.m. local time. The center of the quake is at 5.19 NL and 96.36 EL, or 106 southeast of Banda Aceh at a depth of 15 km. The quake did not cause tsunami.

This earthquake destroyed a number of buildings and killed a number of people which exact number is still counted.

To Send Tagana

Meanwhile, Ministry of Social Affairs make a fast move by deploying Tagana (Disaster Response Cadets) to find and evacuate the deaths and injured victims. Moreover, public kitchens have also been built to help the victims.

“This public kitchen is very important because the victims cannot cook. One kitchen can provide 1,000 portions of food,” Director for Natural Disaster Victims Social Protection Adhy Karyono said in his press release.

Adhy also said that death victims will get insurance of Rp15 million each, while the injured will get Rp5 million in maximum.

“We will see the latest data. The Ministry of Social Affairs have prepared every thing. Now, it should be focused on emergency measures and evacuation,” Adhy said.

Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa expressed her deepest sympathy to the victims. The Minister hoped that the families of the victims to be strong in facing this hard situation. “I can feel what they feel. Hopefully, there would be no more quakes. I have instructed the team to move rapidly,” Khofifah said.

The Minister firmly said that Regional Government should be the commander of disaster mitigation, while the Ministry of Social Affairs gives support by preparing the logistics if there is an emergency situation and cannot be handled by the Regional Government.

In an emenergency situation, a regent/mayor is able to issue an emergency decree so that Government Rice Reserve can be used up to 100 tons. The Governor can use up to 200 tons, and the Minister of Social Affairs can use it more than 200 tons. (DND/RMI/ES) (MMB/YM/Naster)