The relief aid packages were flown aboard a Hercules C-130 aircraft of the 31st Squadron to NTT from the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta.
"The packages comprise staple food items, clothes, blankets, nutritional biscuits, and instant noodles," Indonesian Army’s spokesman, Col. Edys Riyanto, stated.
The relief aid packages also include sarongs, baby formula products, face masks, towels, and diesel fuel-powered generators, Riyanto noted in a statement here on Thursday.
To better support the disaster mitigation efforts, the Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI) also dispatched its personnel and equipment to disaster zones.
The personnel are involved in the evacuation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts, according to Riyanto.
Flash floods and landslides, triggered by torrential rains on April 4, struck several areas in Kupang City and the districts of Malaka, Flores Timur, Lembata, and Sumba Timur.
The disaster reportedly claimed the lives of 138 residents and forced several others to flee their homes and take refuge in safer places.
Early this week, Indonesia's Social Affairs Ministry had disbursed social aid funds worth Rp2.6 billion to offer relief aid packages and compensation funds to the heirs of the deceased.
Logistics resources for the relief aid were taken from the warehouses of the NTT and East Java social affairs offices and through direct procurement.
Apart from distributing the humanitarian aid packages, the ministry also disbursed compensation funds worth Rp1.140 billion to the heirs of 76 dead victims.
Each heir of the deceased received Rp15 million. The ministry will additionally provide compensation funds amounting to Rp135 million to 27 seriously wounded survivors.
Flash floods reportedly submerged nine villages in the sub-districts of Ile Boleng, Adonara Timur, Wotan Ulu Mado, and Adonara Barat, Flores Timur District, on Sunday.
The affected villages are Nelemadike, Nelemawangi, Waiburak, Waiwerang, Oyang Barang, Pandai, Duwanur, Waiwadan, and Daniboa.
The debris carried during the flash floods not only claimed the lives of numerous villagers but also destroyed and damaged 77 houses and led to the collapse of five bridges.
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Translator: Syaiful H, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
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