Helping Lewotobi Eruption Refugees, Pupuk Indonesia Group Sends 1,150 Food Packages And Equipment

PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) Group distributed 1,150 food packages and equipment for refugees due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki in East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The aid was handed over directly by the Director of Human Resources (HR) of Pupuk Indonesia, Tina T. Kemala Intan accompanied by Senior Vice President (SVP) for Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL), Junianto Simare Mare to the Coordinator of the Lewolaga Command Post, Anselmus Maryanto, at the Lewolaga Village Eruption Disaster Command Post, Wulanggitang District, East Flores District, Tuesday 12 November.

Tina said that this assistance was a realization of the TJSL Pupuk Indonesia program together with its subsidiaries (anper), namely Pupuk Kalimantan Timur and Petrokimia Gresik. He hopes that this basic needs assistance can help ease the daily burden on the refugees from the eruption of Mount Lewotobi.

I and the Pupuk Indonesia team, representing all Pupuk Indonesia Group, provide assistance to the refugees here, be it in the form of food, food packages, equipment so that residents affected by the eruption of Mount Lewotobi can benefit from this assistance. We feel compelled and this assistance is a form of our support so that our brothers who are victims remain optimistic in the midst of this discourse," said Tina.

As for the thousands of food packages distributed, 500 packages included support from Pupuk Indonesia, then 500 packages from Pupuk Kalimantan Timur. Meanwhile, Petrokimia Gresik provided assistance with 150 food packages and equipment for refugees.

Each food package contains five kilograms of rice (kg), one box of instant noodles, 600 milliliters (ml) of mineral water in one box, and one liter of cooking oil. For equipment that is also sent as assistance, including pampers, sarongs, blankets, milk for toddlers and adults.

He added that the distribution of aid while at the location would coordinate with the local Command Post Coordinator. Hopefully, the assistance will be distributed on target, so that the benefits will actually be felt by the refugees.

Meanwhile, Mount Lewotobi has experienced an eruption for ten days since November 3, 2024. Based on a report from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG), the mountain still continues to erupted until Tuesday morning.

This eruption caused casualties, damage to buildings and refugees. Based on data from the East Flores Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the number of refugees as of November 10, 2024 reached 12,288 people.

"And we pray that all affected communities can overcome and get through this disaster, can immediately return to their location of the house, and hopefully this disaster will end soon, hopefully all of our friends here will be strengthened and can return to their original location," concluded Tina.