Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno said during a press conference following a limited meeting at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) office here on Thursday that the step is a priority, as many regions are isolated and inaccessible by land vehicles.
“In an emergency response situation, we cannot wait for assistance until land transport infrastructure is restored. Therefore, we will also send aid via air and sea,” he said.
Pratikno confirmed that relevant ministries and agencies are currently designing the delivery mechanism and mapping target areas for the aid distribution.
The effort is crucial because, according to meteorological experts’ analysis presented in the meeting, northern and western parts of Sumatra still face potential weather disturbances, making distribution challenging even with available government fleets.
“This is an extraordinary challenge. We have coordinated with the BNPB Head, who is currently at the Tarutung (North Sumatra) command post, to initiate air delivery of aid,” he added.
He acknowledged the difficulties faced by disaster-affected communities, noting that, in addition to road closures, electricity outages and disrupted telecommunication services due to damaged transmitters have compounded the crisis.
Nevertheless, Pratikno urged residents in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra to remain calm and follow instructions from the joint task forces deployed to the affected areas within 12 hours of the incidents.
He assured that, following President Prabowo’s directives, the government is ready to provide rapid first-response emergency assistance and maximize all available resources.
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Translator: Prasetyo, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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