Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) deployed additional relief supplies Sunday (August 23) to earthquake-hit residents on Sukun, an outermost island in Sikka District, East Nusa Tenggara.
BNPB Director of Emergency Response for Region III Nelwan Harahap said helicopters operated by the Transportation Ministry airlifted the supplies, according to a statement issued Monday.
The supplies included basic necessities and equipment for about 300 households, including medicines and satellite internet kits, he said.
“We also brought medicines provided by the Sikka Health Office for distribution in the quake-hit area,” Harahap said.
The internet equipment is urgently needed to help Sukun residents stay connected with relatives outside the island, he said.
Residents previously had to travel to higher ground to obtain telecommunications signals, he added.
The delivery followed BNPB and local authorities’ shipment of aid to Sukun by speedboat on Friday (August 21).
Residents received rice and other staples, cooking oil, eucalyptus oil, blankets, eggs, diapers, mosquito repellent, tarpaulins, instant noodles, soap, toothpaste, mats, supplements and medicines.
Harahap urged residents to remain calm while staying alert for aftershocks, as warned by Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
“According to BMKG, aftershocks will naturally be weaker than the main earthquake. Therefore, they are not threatening,” he said.
Amid disrupted schooling, Harahap urged local authorities and other stakeholders to support the immediate resumption of classes while prioritizing teacher and student safety.
He suggested using tents and other safe locations as temporary classrooms to keep educational activities running.
“We hope educational activities continue during the emergency so children do not lose momentum in their learning,” Harahap said.
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Translator: A. Rauf, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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