The president boarded the Indonesian Air Force's EC-725 Caracal helicopter from Sutan Sjahrir Airfield in Padang, which took off at 8:23 a.m. local time, as observed by ANTARA.
Agam District will be his first destination, where he will visit a primary school in Kayu Pasak, Palembayan sub-district, currently used as a makeshift shelter for disaster-affected refugees.
His second destination will be Padang Pariaman District, where he is scheduled to visit the construction site of a Bailey bridge in Padang Mantuang, Kayutanam Sub-district.
After Agam and Padang Pariaman districts, Prabowo will continue his visit to Lembah Anai in Tanah Datar District to monitor road reconstruction works there.
The president will end his journey at Minangkabau International Airport near Padang City, before returning to Jakarta.
Prabowo is accompanied by cabinet ministers in his tour, including Home Minister Tito Karnavian, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia.
Indonesian military commander General Agus Subiyanto, Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Chief Suhartoyo, and West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi are also part of the president's entourage.
The visit marked Prabowo's fourth visit to Sumatra Island in the wake of widespread disasters that also struck multiple cities and districts in Aceh and North Sumatra provinces in late November following prolonged heavy rainfall.
President Prabowo, during the cabinet meeting on Monday (15/12), also conveyed his plan to conduct weekly visits to the three provinces. “I plan to visit those areas at least once a week to monitor developments,” he said.
Meanwhile, BNPB data, as of Thursday, stated that the floods and landslides had killed 1,059 people, left 192 missing, and affected millions across 52 districts and cities in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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