The ready-to-use fund is expected to help the East OKU district government in tackling the flooding that occurs almost every year.
Martapura, S Sumatra (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has disbursed ready-to-use funds amounting to Rp250 million (US$16,618) to the East Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) district government in South Sumatra province to support disaster emergency handling.

Deputy for emergency mitigation at BNPB, Major General Fajar Setyawan, said here on Friday that the assistance was provided for handling flooding in the region.

A ready-to-use fund is a fund that is always available and is reserved by the government for use during a disaster emergency until it is fully handled, he explained.

The fund can be used, starting from the disaster emergency to recovery periods, after the regional government determines that utilizing the assistance is necessary based on the recommendations of agencies tasked with mitigating disasters.

"The ready-to-use fund is expected to help the East OKU district government in tackling the flooding that occurs almost every year," the BNPB official stated.

In addition to handing over the ready-to-use funds, he also distributed food aid and visited the victims of whirlwinds, which occurred on Thursday (June 1, 2023) in Riang Bandung village, Madang Suku II sub-district, as well as Sribunga village, BP Bangsa Raja sub-district.

"We have also provided operational assistance, namely a public kitchen car unit to help victims of the whirlwinds in the two villages," he informed.

Deputy head of East OKU district, Adi Nugraha Purna Yudha, expressed his gratitude for the assistance provided by the BNPB to the community in the region.

He said that the ready-to-use fund would be very useful for his party in tackling floods as well as helping victims.

"The assistance provided is very meaningful for the community, especially those affected by the disaster," he added.

In addition to flooding and whirlwinds, hail was also recorded recently in the district and damaged a number of homes in Riang Bandung Ilir village, Madang Suku II sub-district.

Several trees also fell due to the disaster and damaged state-run electricity provider PT PLN’s electricity grid, thus the power in the area was completely cut off.

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Translator: Edo Purmana, Uyu Liman
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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