Jakarta (ANTARA) – President Prabowo Subianto is considering a visit to earthquake-hit East Nusa Tenggara, where officials are overseeing relief efforts, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said Monday.
“We will assess the situation. Ministers are already there. We will see how things develop before deciding,” Prasetyo told reporters at Jakarta’s presidential palace complex.
Prasetyo said several senior officials were in East Nusa Tenggara to ensure a swift and coordinated response to the earthquake.
They include Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, Public Works Minister Dody Hanggondo, and disaster agency chief Suharyanto.
Others include Search and Rescue Agency chief Mohammad Syafii, Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus and Deputy Social Affairs Minister Agus Jabo Priyono.
“They are currently in East Nusa Tenggara to monitor the situation and ensure the disaster response is properly handled,” Prasetyo said.
Prabowo earlier said the government was making every effort to help earthquake victims by deploying officials to affected areas.
“We want to ensure our brothers and sisters there receive swift and effective emergency assistance,” Prabowo said in an Instagram post monitored in Jakarta on Sunday.
As part of the response, Prabowo said the government had sent 50,000 packages of staple goods to East Nusa Tenggara on Saturday to help affected residents.
He also ordered cross-sector cooperation to ensure a swift, targeted response and instructed officials to assess conditions directly at disaster-hit locations.
Prabowo ordered teams from state food agency Bulog, utility companies PLN and Pertamina, and telecommunications firm Telkom Indonesia to participate in the response.
He said protecting residents and meeting their basic needs were the government’s top priorities during the emergency caused by the earthquake.
“Residents’ safety and basic needs are the most important thing right now,” Prabowo said.
The president also pledged that the government would continue efforts to restore conditions in East Nusa Tenggara after the disaster that has killed at least 47 people.
“The government will continue doing its best to restore conditions,” he said.
Prabowo also expressed sympathy and offered prayers for residents of East Nusa Tenggara grieving after the earthquake.
“Our hearts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters in East Nusa Tenggara who are grieving after the earthquake,” Prabowo said.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Nagekeo district in East Nusa Tenggara early Saturday, Aug. 15, according to the draft.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning that later ended at 7:30 a.m. local time, according to the draft.
The earthquake affected several districts, particularly Nagekeo, Sikka, Manggarai, West Manggarai and Ende, according to an initial Social Affairs Ministry report.
About 2,000 people were affected, while authorities were still compiling data on displaced residents.
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Translator: Fathur/Maria, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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