BNPB Assists IDR 4 Billion For Mount Merapi Disaster Management

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) provided assistance of IDR 4 billion for the disaster management of the eruption of Mount Merapi in the Yogyakarta Special Region and Central Java Province.

"Today we are providing Rp1 billion in aid to each district. Here there is one district from DIY, the remaining three are from Central Java," said the Head of BNPB Doni Monardo during a visit to the Yogyakarta Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG), as quoted by Antara. Between, Thursday, 19 November.

The four districts that received assistance are Sleman Regency in DIY, then Klaten, Magelang, and Boyolali in Central Java.

In addition to financial assistance, according to Doni, BNPB will also place a helicopter unit which later can be used by the Yogyakarta and Central Java governments to anticipate various matters related to volcanoes.

The presence of BNPB in DIY and Central Java is the task of President Joko Widodo to ensure various efforts to anticipate the eruption of Mount Merapi which is expected to affect residents in parts of Yogyakarta and Central Java.

"That the safety of the people is the highest law. So all plans related to the anticipation of the eruption of Mount Merapi must be done as well as possible in order to reduce the risk of casualties, including property loss," he said.

On that occasion, he also provided input to the relevant local governments, including regarding the implementation of health protocols considering that currently it is still in a COVID-19 pandemic situation.

"Considering that our status is still COVID-19, the priority is to follow a refugee system based on health protocols and we have conveyed messages to all regions to give priority to vulnerable groups who are elderly, have comorbids, disabilities, pregnant women, and toddler, "he said.

In addition, he also asked the local government to design the evacuation barracks as safe and comfortable as possible for its residents, including ensuring logistics, medicine, health facilities, sanitation, and the availability of clean water.

"I hope that the BPPTKG can carry out various evaluations every day so that the public gets accurate information," he said.