Kupang (ANTARA) – National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Chief Suharyanto emphasized the importance of all districts and cities across Indonesia raising well-stocked logistics warehouses to enable the immediate distribution of relief in the event of a disaster.
“We suggest that every single district and city has logistics, ensuring ready-to-use buffer stocks. This way, we can swiftly provide initial aid to disaster-affected residents,” he said in a statement cited in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Thursday.
He explained that the proposal stems from evident difficulties faced by regional governments in quickly distributing relief supplies within the early hours of disasters due to a lack of buffer stocks at their disaster mitigation agencies (BPBDs).
“When the earthquake struck the other day, regions found themselves with no capacity to do much because their BPBDs had their warehouses ill-supplied,” Suharyanto said, referring to the magnitude 7.7 quake that killed over 100 on Flores Island, NTT.
In that context, the BNPB chief encouraged BPBDs to ensure sufficient stocks of basic supplies and equipment typically needed in times of disaster, such as staple goods, blankets, tents, and mattresses, for distribution ahead of shipments from the central government.
Suharyanto pointed out that each region is estimated to require between Rp5 billion and Rp10 billion (around US$563,000) to raise adequate stocks for disaster relief.
He stressed that proactive measures are required of regional governments because it typically takes longer for central institutions to deliver aid to disaster-hit areas, although he assured that BNPB remains committed to disaster response within the first 24 hours.
The official reiterated that strengthening logistics stocks at regional levels is key to ensuring swift and proper distribution of disaster relief supplies.
He conveyed the suggestion during a coordination meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto in Nagekeo District, NTT, on Wednesday (Aug. 26), who welcomed the proposal as “a good suggestion.”
The president then highlighted plans to assist provincial, district, and municipal governments in establishing warehouses to stockpile and distribute essential supplies during disaster emergencies.
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Translator: K. Kaha, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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