Balikpapan ready to take in C. Sulawesi survivors
Earthquake survivors ride past a boat on a street in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Oct. 1, following an earthquake and tsunami that hit the area on Sept. 28. (AFP/Jewel Samad)
The Balikpapan administration in East Kalimantan is currently preparing facilities to accommodate the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Palu and Donggala, Central Sulawesi.
“We are preparing [several buildings] to shelter the survivors,” said Syaiful Bahri, an assistant secretary of the Balikpapan administration, on Tuesday. He added that the survivors would be treated in three of the province’s hospitals, namely the Kanujoso Djatiwibowo, Tentara dr Hardjanto and Bhayangkara hospitals.
The administration also expressed its willingness to assist survivors seeking to travel to other islands in the country.
Read also: Earthquake sends shocks across Makassar Strait
At least 98 survivors from Palu and Donggala had arrived in Balikpapan as of Monday. They were brought to the city aboard two ships belonging to the Finance Ministry’s Customs and Excise Directorate General. Those with injuries were rushed to Pertamina Hospital, while the others were accommodated at the Balikpapan customs and excise office.
Balikpapan has also sent 26 health teams to assist recovery efforts in Central Sulawesi. (vny)
Earthquake victims loot a warehouse in Mamboro in North Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Monday. Residents from North Palu to Donggala’s western coast have been looting warehouses and stores to obtain basic commodities, as the humanitarian assistance they are in dire need of has yet to arrive in disaster-struck areas. (Antara/Muhammad Adimadja)
Survivors of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that was followed by a tsunami in Palu city and Donggala regency of Central Sulawesi are still facing clean water shortages as of today, prompting several parties to do what they can to help the people.
Mass Organization Yaskum Indonesia Central Sulawesi, whose headquarters is located on Jl. DI Pandjaitan in East Palu, is one of the parties distributing drinking water to the survivors for free. The organization has a drinking water business.
The organization’s chairman, Andi Mulhanan Tambolotutu, said on Monday that all residents were allowed to get clean water from Yaskum Indonesia. “We provide free drinking water for residents. Please come to our place and line up patiently.” Andi said.
But due to the office’s fragile condition, the residents are only allowed to wait outside the building. The residents are told to put their names on their water containers and put them in line. Yaskum Indonesia’s members in charge call on the container’s owner once it is full of clean water.
Andi further said they would need more fuel to run the drinking water machines. Now, Yaskum Indonesia only operates one out of two available machines as a result of fuel shortages. (vny)
Topics :
- disaster-victims, disaster-relief, Palu-Earthquake-Tsunami, Donggala-earthquake-tsunami,Central-Sulawesi-earthquake