Avoid Looting Akasi, Police Escort West Earthquake Aid

JAKARTA - The Majene Police, West Sulawesi Province, is overseeing earthquake assistance for refugees in the Majene and Mamuju districts.

"In order to ensure that post-earthquake humanitarian aid that rocked the Majene and Mamuju areas, arrives at the destination safely, an escort will be given," said the Head of Operations at the Majene Police, AKP Ujang Saputra, in Majene, as reported by Antara, Sunday, January 17.

He said that the Majene Polres would always provide the best service by escorting every logistical aid that would be distributed so that the refugees could receive it evenly.

"Looting carried out by unscrupulous individuals, such as during the disaster in Palu city and its surroundings, will be prevented from occurring. Any aid logistics that will pass can be divided evenly so that the refugees receive this assistance," he said.

He conveyed that there were residents who had not been touched by the assistance, due to the many earthquake evacuation points that the residents had built.

"Aid only leads to points determined by the government, while many points are displaced by this earthquake," he said.

He asked his personnel to accurately record victims and houses that collapsed and other damage so that assistance could be maximized and directed.

The number of victims of the Mamuju and Majene earthquakes continued to increase as a result of collapsed buildings while in Majene District there were eight people.

There were 189 people who were seriously injured and hospitalized, while 637 people were lightly injured.

Meanwhile, the displaced population reached 15,000 people in a number of points in Mamuju and Majene districts.

The Mamuju earthquake resulted in the West Sulawesi governor's office collapsing and flattened to the ground. In addition, a five-story hospital building in Mamuju city, shopping centers and other public service centers also collapsed and hundreds of residential areas were completely damaged.