President Jokowi: Pidie Jaya Earthquake Victims Have Been Handled Well
President Jokowi visits one of the earthquake victims in Pidie Jaya, on Thursday (8/12). (Photo: BPMI/Kris)
President Joko Jokowi Widodo considered that the handling of earthquake victims in Pidie Jaya, Aceh, has been running very well, and the evacuation of victims has reached 99 percent. This was delivered by the President after visiting the Pidie Jaya earthquake victims in dr. Zainoel Abidin Hospital, Banda Aceh, on Thursday (8/12) night.
The number of victims who have received treatment in dr. Zainoel Abidin Hospital was 23 people, mostly sustaining fractures. “Initially, 19 victims were treated but four more people were brought here, eight of whom have undergone surgery,” the President said.
Since Thursday (8/12) afternoon, President Jokowi accompanied by several Ministers has already been in Aceh to monitor at firsthand the handling of Pidie Jaya earthquake victims, having previously been in Bali for a working visit.
Tomorrow morning (9/12), the President is scheduled to visit Pidie Jaya, the area most severely affected by the earthquake on Wednesday (7/12) morning, to observe the handling on the ground including humanitarian aids to be provided.
“This is particularly to reconstruct damaged public buildings after we observe the situation on the ground. The most important thing is that the evacuation of victims to hospitals has been handled well,” the President said.
Earlier, in the coordination meeting on the handling of earthquake in Pidie Jaya and its surrounding areas, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki reported to the President on the impact of the earthquake in Pidie Jaya and its surrounding areas. “The death toll has reached 102 and one resident is still reported missing, 136 people are seriously wounded, 616 people are slightly injured, and 10,029 people are displaced scattering in 28 shelters in three regencies,” Teten said.
The earthquake, Teten went on to explain, impacted three regencies, namely Pidie Jaya, Bireuen, and Pidie. In Pidie Jaya, material losses include 105 units of shop houses were collapsed, 12,560 houses were damaged from light to severe level, 49 mosques were collapsed, one Pidie Regional General Hospital (RSUD) was heavily damaged, some roads were damaged, and power lines were collapsed.
Meanwhile, in Bireuen Regency, 41 houses were damaged from light to severe level, one mosque was heavily damaged, one school building was damaged, and one rice mill was heavily damaged.
“In Pidie Regency, 40 houses were severely damaged as well,” Teten said.
Aceh Governor has issued a 14-day emergency response period from 7 to 20 December 2016 through a letter No. 39/PER/2016. The emergency response period is valid for three regencies, namely Pidie Jaya, Pidie, and Bireuen. The issuance of emergency response is needed to facilitate emergency response and ease of access.
Accompanying the President when visiting the victim in dr. Zainoel Abidin Hospital were Minister of Health Nila Moeloek, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, the Indonesian National Defence Forces (TNI) Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, the Indonesian National Police (Polri) Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, and Acting Governor of Aceh Soedarmo. (BPMI / ES) (MUR/YM/Naster)
