Serang, Banten (ANTARA News) - Banten Province Governor Wahidin Halim has applied an emergency response period from December 27, 2018, to January 9, 2019, to handle the impact of the tsunami that struck on December 22, 2018, in Sunda Strait.

The emergency response period was outlined in the governor`s decision number 366/Kep.350-Huk/2018 declaring an emergency response period to handle the impact of the tsunami, Chief of the Informatics Application and Public Communication Section of the Banten Provincial Communication and Information Office Amal Herawan Budhi stated here on Friday.

The decision was based on the letters from the Pandeglang and Serang district heads, calling for the governor to declare an emergency response period to handle the impact of the tsunami in the two districts, he remarked.

The Banten governor also instructed his ranks and files to continue to handle the impact of the tsunami and called on local residents to not conduct activities along the coast and stay away one kilometer from the shoreline.

A tsunami engulfed areas along the west coast of Banten Province on December 22, 2018. The areas included the sub-districts of Anyer and Cinangka in Serang District and the sub-districts of Carita, Labuan, Panimbang, Sukaresmi, Cigeulis, Cibaliung, and Sumur in Pandeglang District.

According to the Banten Provincial Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), 306 people were killed, 709 people were injured, and 46 others were missing due to the tsunami. A total of 14,587 people are still taking refuge.

The disaster also destroyed 526 houses, 33 cars, and 42 motorcycles as well as 14 hotels/villas, 60 culinary stalls, 215 gazebos, and 44 boats.

Reporting by Mulyana
Editing by Suharto

Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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