Jakarta(ANTARA News) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) stated that foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) wanting to support humanitarian relief mission in Central Sulawesi Province must have local partners.

"Foreign organizations and citizens are not permitted to go directly to the disaster zones. Those, which have deployed foreign personnel there are advised to retrieve their personnel immediately," Head of the agency`s Information Data Center and Public Relations Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said here on Thursday night.

If there were foreign organizations that had purchased or prepared logistics assistance in Indonesia, then they should register at ministry/ agency partners and should use local partners in the distribution, he said.

If there are foreign organizations that have not been registered with the ministry / institution, then they are obliged to register with BNPB to distribute the aid supplies to the disaster location.

"Foreign organizations can distribute the aid supplies through the Indonesian Red Cross accompanied by relevant ministries / institutions or local partners. The distribution of logistics assistance is coordinated by BNPB," he said.

Nugroho asserted that foreign aid must be in line with the four priorities identified by Indonesia, namely tents, water treatment units, generators, and transport.

"There is no need for international aid other than the four priorities identified by Indonesia," he said.

The BNPB earlier stated that rehabilitation and reconstruction programs in Palu, Donggala and some other areas in Central Sulawesi will begin in early November 2018.

"The rehabilitation and reconstruction programs are scheduled to start in early November 2018, which means the emergency response period will end at the end of October 2018," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

The rehabilitation and reconstruction programs were in accordance with the direction of Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Nugroho said the evacuation is expected to be completed on October 11, 2018. Thus, the total number of days the evacuation will last will be 14, exceeding the regulation of the National Search and Relief Agency that the evacuation should be carried out for 10 days.

He said the victims who had not been found after 11 October 2018 would be declared dead. However, if there are people who need help to find their families, then the government will help them.

The government is also still calculating the value of losses and damages due to the disaster, and the amount of funds needed for the rehabilitation and reconstruction programs.

Until October 10 afternoon, BNPB recorded 2,045 dead due to the earthquake and tsunami in Palu and Donggala, Central Sulawesi.

Meanwhile, 82,775 people were displaced, where 74,044 of them are in Central Sulawesi and 8,731 others are outside the province.

Reporting by Dewanto Samodro
Editing by Azis Kurmala, Rahmad

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018