We, on behalf of Mimika volunteers, express our concern and sorrow over the disaster that befell our brothers in Mamuju.
Mamuju, W Sulawesi (ANTARA) - Volunteers from Mimika District, Papua Province, on Monday handed over aid to victims of the 6.2-magnitude earthquake, which rattled Majene and Mamuju Districts in West Sulawesi Province last Friday.

“We, on behalf of Mimika volunteers, express our concern and sorrow over the disaster that befell our brothers in Mamuju,” Chief of the Mimika volunteer team Imam Iskandar said after handing over the relief to quake victims taking refuge in Simboro, Mamuju, on Monday.

Since its arrival in Mamuju last Saturday (January 16, 2021), the volunteer team has handed over assistance to a number of evacuee camps in the district, which bore the brunt of the 6.2-magnitude quake, he informed.

Related news: West Sulawesi quake led to large-scale displacement of thousands: BNPB

"This is the ninth location that we visited to hand over assistance. The amount of our assistance is not large, but we hope it would alleviate the burden on our brothers falling victim to the disaster," he remarked.

The assistance included foodstuff, medicines, books for children of quake victims, baby kits, and mineral water.

A powerful earthquake had rocked the districts of Majene and Mamuju early on Friday last week. The epicenter of the quake was located on land, six kilometers northeast of Majene at a depth of 10 kilometers.

The shallow quake, which the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) believes was caused by a local fault, destroyed several buildings, including the governor's office, a military office, and the Maleo Hotel.

The earthquake damaged many houses and a public health center and even triggered three landslides along the Majene-Mamuju road section, disrupting the transportation of people and goods, Chief of the Center for Disaster Data, Information and Communication of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Dr. Raditya Jati said at an online press conference in Jakarta on Sunday.

The death toll from the 6.2-magnitude earthquake climbed to 73, with 27,850 people taking refuge as of Sunday evening, according to the BNPB.

As per BNPB records, a total of 826 people sustained injuries in the quake, while 27,850 people had fled their homes as of Sunday evening, Dr. Raditya said.



Related news: BNPB's funding for housing reconstruction in post-quake West Sulawesi

Translator: Amirullah/Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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