Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has given Rp350 million, or over US$22 thousand, ready-to-use fund to support flood disaster management in Riau Province.

The fund assistance was symbolically handed over by Chief of BNPB, Suharyanto, to Head of the Riau Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Edy Afrizal, after a coordination meeting on flood disaster emergency management in Pekanbaru on Friday.

"The assistance of Rp350 million is expected to help the Riau provincial government deal with floods in this area," Suharyanto remarked.

Suharyanto said that his side also provided logistical support for the Riau provincial government, such as 500 mattresses, 500 blankets, 500 hygiene kit packages, two evacuation tents, and two-engine polyethylene boats, with a capacity of eight people.

He said that Riau's 10 flood-affected districts and cities each also received Rp250 million of ready-to-use fund assistance from the BNPB.

These 10 districts and cities are Pekanbaru City, Indragiri Hulu, Indragiri Hilir, Rokan Hilir, Rokan Hulu, Pelalawan, Kampar, Kuansing, Bengkalis, and Meranti Islands Districts.

In addition, the BNPB has readied logistic aid for flood-affected areas in the form of staple food packages, instant food, mattresses, blankets, hygiene kits, liquid soap, evacuation and family tents, power generators, polyethylene boats, water pumping machines, and tower lamps.

The BNPB also provided cash operational aid amounting to Rp250 million to the District Military Command 031/WB and the Riau Regional Police.

"The aid is expected to assist Riau Province in dealing with flood disasters, and hopefully, the floods in Riau would recede soon," Suharyanto stated.

Meanwhile, the Riau BPBD reported that 2,066 residents of Riau Province were forced to evacuate due to flooding. At least 131,834 people in Riau were affected by the flood, the BPBD stated.

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Translator: Frislidia, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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