"The evacuation of those missing be prioritized," President Jokowi said, while chairing a limited cabinet meeting on handling the Lombok earthquake, at the presidential office here, Friday.
He said he constantly received updates on intensive efforts with regard to the search for the missing victims.
The Head of State has also instructed his subordinates to make sure that supplies of logistics, particularly food, medicines, drinking water, blankets, emergency tents and baby food are adequate.
He said that after receiving reports about the powerful earthquake in Lombok, he had immediately ordered the heads of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), as well as chiefs of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and the National Police, to help evacuate victims and foreign tourists from Lombok Island, and to provide medical treatment and relief aid for the refugees.
Among those who attended the limited cabinet meeting were NTB Governor TGB Zainul Majdi, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Social Affairs Minister Idrus Marham, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi, Head of the Investment Coordinating Board Thomas Lembong, and Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.
Meanwhile, the number of people killed in the earthquake that struck Lombok rose to 321.
"The number of people who died in the earthquake continued to rise. There were also victims who had not previously been reported and victims who were successfully evacuated," said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, BNPB spokesman, in a statement in Pekanbaru, Riau Province, Friday.
Nugroho said the highest number of victims was from North Lombok District, reaching 273 people, West Lombok (26), East Lombok (11), Mataram City (seven), Central Lombok (two) and Denpasar City (two).
The number of refugees due to the earthquake reached 270,168, scattered across thousands of places.
Reporting by Hanni Sofia
Editing by Fardah, A Abdussalam
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
