Puan asks the government to speed up the data collection of NTT earthquake victims

JAKARTA - House of Representatives (DPR) Chairwoman Puan Maharani asked the government to accelerate the data collection of victims of the earthquake that shook East Nusa Tenggara, as well as immediately respond to the needs of affected residents.

Puan expressed deep sorrow for the victims who died and the families they left behind. He also prayed that the injured could recover soon.

"The DPR leadership expressed concern over the major earthquake disaster in NTT. The government must act quickly to deal with the impact of the earthquake and respond quickly to the needs of affected residents," said Puan, quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, August 15.

According to Puan, rapid data collection can facilitate post-earthquake handling so that the needs of victims can be immediately provided.

"The logistical assistance must be immediately distributed to affected residents evenly, especially for those whose houses are severely damaged and people living in areas that are difficult to access," he said.

"If there are residents who are displaced, make sure that the evacuation site is comfortable and safe. Evacuation must be friendly to the elderly, children, pregnant or breastfeeding mothers, disabled people, and those with congenital diseases," added Puan.

A tectonic earthquake with a magnitude of seven struck the NTT region on Saturday (15/8) morning. The earthquake was felt on Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that the earthquake occurred at 05:58 WITA with the epicenter north of Mbay, Nagekeo Regency, NTT. BMKG had issued an early tsunami warning.

Although the tsunami early warning has been lifted, Puan asked the government to continue to monitor the affected areas. The public is urged to stay away from the sea for a while.

He also asked the government to provide assistance to tourists who were victims. This is because the earthquake was also felt in the Labuan Bajo area, West Manggarai, which is a tourist destination in NTT.

"These tourists are far from home. The government must ensure that they get help, especially for tourists whose places to stay are damaged," he said.

Regarding the potential for aftershocks, the government is asked to provide accurate information to the public and expand education to prevent residents' unrest.