According to a statement from the United Nations Information Center (UNIC) in Indonesia, received in Jakarta, Tuesday, on October 1, the government of Indonesia, through the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed specific offer of international assistance that are in line with identified humanitarian needs on the ground.
"The government of Indonesia has significant experience and capacity to manage natural disasters, but given the scale and complexity of this emergency combined with the response to the recent series of earthquakes in Lombok and the residual needs there, UN agencies and NGOs are working closely with government ministries to provide all necessary technical support," said UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia Anita Nirody in the statement.
Since the disaster happened, she continued, humanitarian agencies have been in close communications with the government to further understand the situation in the affected areas and stand ready to provide whatever support may be required.
Humanitarian actors, including the Red Cross, NGOs and UN agencies are said to already be on the ground or en route to the affected areas.
As a result of the earthquake and tsunami, around 1,200 people are already known to have died and thousands of people have left their homes and are staying in displacement sites.
"Following the disaster, roads and bridges have been destroyed, communication lines are down, and landslides have left many information about the situation on the ground out, and to get aid and people in," said Nirody.
She stated that there are urgent needs for many basic services including food, clean water, shelter and medical care. It is also important to provide psychosocial support to those who have been affected, she remarked.
Reporter: Aria Cindyara
Editor: Yosep Hariyadi
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