Hopefully, they will be discovered within (the next) few days.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has disbursed Rp500 million in funds for the victims of a recent landslide in Sirna Sari area, Empang Village, South Bogor Sub-district, Bogor City, West Java Province.

BNPB Head Lieutenant General Suharyanto symbolically handed over the aid to Deputy Mayor of Bogor Dedie A. Rachim at a refugee camp at Bogor 9 Public Junior High School (SMP) on Wednesday (March 15, 2023), according to a statement received on Thursday.

Suharyanto said that the government will strive to find the remaining missing victims.

“Hopefully, they will be discovered within (the next) few days,” he added.

He emphasized that the search, rescue, and evacuation efforts have been made a top priority in the handling of the disaster. Hence, BNPB will continue to support the efforts until all the victims of the landslide are found.

Suharyanto said he expected the fund assistance to help expedite the search, rescue, and evacuation efforts.

He also expressed the hope that the fund aid would be used to meet the basic needs of the refugees for two weeks, that is, the duration of the emergency response period set by the Bogor city government.

All of the operational needs of the search, rescue, and evacuation efforts as well as the logistical needs of the refugees during the two-week emergency response period will be borne by the central government, he informed.

The BNPB also provided a refugee tent, 250 mattresses, 250 blankets, 100 basic food packages, and 100 hygiene kits for the victims.

According to the latest data shared by the Bogor City Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), as of 5:45 p.m. local time on Thursday, the disaster had claimed four lives, while two people were still declared missing and 11 victims had survived the incident.

The landslide, which occurred on Tuesday (March 14, 2023) at around 11 p.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB), was triggered by heavy rain.

During the disaster, a cliff, with a height of 12 meters (m) and a width of six m, located in the Sirna Sari area of Empang village collapsed and buried six houses as well as a place of worship.

In addition to damaging the settlement, the disaster also caused a rail line, spanning 15 m in length, to collapse. The incident disrupted the Bogor-Sukabumi train trip.

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Translator: Devi Ramadhan, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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