An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale followed with tsunami struck Central Sulawesi on Friday afternoon causing the death of more than 1,200 people in the province mainly in Palu and Donggala.
"We accept foreign assistance which we need to help cope with the disaster," the president said here at a meeting here on Tuesday.
The president headed a meeting on Tuesday attended by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Minister for Law, Security and Political Affairs Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Coordinating Minster for Economy Darmin Nasution, other minister, Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian, Military Chief Air Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto and head of the National Search and Rescue Agency Air Force Brig.Gen. M. Syaugi discussing mainly emergency steps to help the survivors in the inflicted areas.
"I ask the Coordinating Ministers to report what we need to cope with the disaster as the telephones we received wanted to know what we need. Yesterday King Salman of Saudi Arabia, Turkey President and Australian Prime Minister and a number of other heads of state and government, called me by phone all wanting to know what they could do to help us," Jokowi said.
The president asked the ministers to make a list of anything needed that could be provided by other countries.
He said many tents are needed in Palu and Donggala and other inflicted areas, adding he hoped tents and logistics including medicines would be available sufficiently on Wednesday.
The president said the offers from foreign countries show that we have many friend among foreign countries.
Meanwhile, the National Agency for Handling Disaster (BNPB) said by Tuesday afternoon, the death toll of quake and tsunami rose to 1.234 with 99 other still missing, 799 seriously injured.
Reporting by Desca Lidya Natalia
Editing by A. Saragih
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Yosep Hariyadi
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