Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) instructed the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Commander to handle the earthquake-affected areas in Lombok and surrounding regions which are still isolated.

Presidential Secretariat`s Deputy for Protocol, Press and Media, Bey Machmudin in his statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday said President Jokowi acknowledged that there were still some areas in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, that could not be reached and could not receive assistance.

The areas have not yet been reached because the location of the earthquake-affected was quite wide with difficult conditions to reach.

"There are still one, two or three villages that have not yet been handled properly because their positions cannot be reached by motorbikes or even cars," said the President at Tanjung Hospital, North Lombok, Monday (Aug 13).

However, the Head of State has instructed the relevant staff to immediately resolve the problem. Moreover, according to the information he received, there are still several houses and residents who have been hit by landslides due to the earthquake.

"I have instructed the TNI Commander to resolve the existing problem because there are here four helicopters which are standby and can be used," the President said.

Regarding sanitation, the President also ensured that assistance in the form of 200 portable MCKs (bathing, washing and toilet) from the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing would soon arrive and be installed in a number of evacuation locations.

"A total of 90 have been installed and 200 others are still on the way. But this all are still not enough," said the President.

Reporting by Agus Salim
Editing by Andi Abdussalam

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Sri Haryati
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