Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed deep sorrow to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Palu and Donggala, Central Sulawesi.

"We are together with Sulawesi and Indonesia," Guterres said while together with Vice President M Jusuf Kalla at SIS Pearl Airport Al Jufrie, Palu, Central Sulawesi, after listening to BNPB`s presentation.

Guterres, along with the World Bank CEO and ADB Representatives, flew from Bali to Palu to jointly review the affected areas along with Kalla.

Guterres also said he was impressed with the government`s response in handling the disaster that struck Palu and surrounding areas on Friday afternoon, September 28, 2018.

Guterres conveyed the response was needed to ensure the handling of the major disaster and appreciated the enthusiasm of the community in dealing with disasters.

He believed that the reconstruction and rehabilitation carried out by the government would make Palu more beautiful in the future.

On the same occasion, the CEO of the World Bank, Kristalina Georgieva, conveyed that the international community joined hands to help each other deal with the disaster.

Kalla and the Secretary General of the United Nations listened to the presentation of the National Disaster Management Agency at the airport before jointly heading to the Central Sulawesi Governor`s Office.

After Friday prayers, the Vice President together with Guterres and Georgieva conducted a review directly at the Balaroa National Park, whose territory collapsed due to liquefaction during the earthquake.

They spent some half an hour at the place, witnessing firsthand the tragedy of the area that had collapsed.

The area has now become a red zone, and is no longer worth living in. The community has been relocated to a new place, while the area has become a mass grave of bodies that have not been found. The evacuation period has ended.

After reviewing Perumnas Balaroa, the Vice President, the UN Secretary General and the World Bank CEO continued to review Anutapura Hospital. A number of patients were seen in tents, while the rear building was destroyed.

The review continued to Fatulimo Field in front of the Mayor`s Office. In this area, stood the tents of the refugees.

Reporting by M Arief Iskandar
Editing by Eliswan Azly, Yoseph Haryadi

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Suharto
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