The food logistics storage warehouses are located in the sub-districts of Sinak and Agandugume in Puncak District, which are built on the initiative of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), and the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Headquarters.
BNPB Head Suharyanto noted in a statement on Friday that the two warehouses are managed and operated by the Central Papua Provincial Government under the central government's supervision.
In addition to essential food supplies, the BNPB ensures that emergency logistics, such as tents, generators, medicines, and items for infants and pregnant women, are also stocked in the warehouses.
"The food warehouses are intended to anticipate famine, food crisis, and extreme weather," he remarked.
The BNPB reported that extreme weather phenomena often caused crop failures, which led to famine and diarrhea in the community.
Suharyanto noted that in 2023, around 8,012 residents of Sinak District experienced the adverse effects of extreme weather, which resulted in six fatalities.
Long before, extreme weather had severely impacted Central Papua. Starting in 1997, some 24 residents in Sinak and Ilaga lost their lives due to such conditions, followed by 60 residents in 1998, and 11 people died. In Asmat District, 72 died in 2015.
Moreover, malnutrition affected 809 children in Intan Jaya District. In 2022, extreme weather disasters also impacted 2,740 residents of Lanny Jaya District, leading to four deaths.
Hence, Suharyanto ensured that TNI personnel would guard the warehouses from the threat of security disturbances. Given the difficult terrain of the Puncak District area, land vehicle access is limited, necessitating heightened security measures.
In addition to military security, Suharyanto said his side would operate drones to monitor the surroundings of the warehouses as part of the security measures.
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Translator: M. Riezko Bima, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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