TNI Commander Orders Soldiers To Help Disaster Victims In West Sulawesi And South Kalimantan, KRI-Hercules Deployed

Residents carrying their children through floods in Kampung Melayu Village, Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto ordered TNI soldiers to help victims of natural disasters in West Sulawesi and South Kalimantan.

Not only soldiers who were deployed, but the main weapon system equipment (alutsista) was also deployed to the disaster area to help the victims of the earthquake in West Sulawesi and the floods in South Kalimantan.

"We have already dispatched troops from Makassar, using Boeing and Hercules planes," said TNI Commander Marshal Hadi as quoted by Antara, Friday, January 15 evening.

Hadi said that the Indonesian Air Force dispatched a Boeing 737 aircraft from the 5th Air Squadron Sultan Hasanuddin Lanud to the location of the earthquake.

Joint forces and Indonesian Air Force troops have been deployed to the disaster area to help the victims of the earthquake with a magnitude (M) of 6.2 which rocked the Mamuju Regency and Majene Regency, West Sulawesi, Friday, January 15.

This action was taken to ensure the situation and condition of the areas affected by natural disasters so that they suffered damage and casualties did not incur greater losses.

In addition, the Indonesian Air Force also alerted Hercules C-130 aircraft from Hasanuddin 33rd Air Squadron, 31st Air Squadron Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, CN 295 aircraft from Air Squadron 2 Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, and a Super Puma NAS-332 Helicopter from Atang Air Base 6 Squadron. Sendjaja.

The TNI has also dispatched two Company-level units (SSK) from the Infantry Battalion (Yonif) 721 / Makassar and the Combat Engineer Battalion (Yon Zipur) 8 from Kodam XIV / Hasanudin.

Meanwhile, the equipment that has been sent includes field tents as health posts, field kitchens, refugee tents, generators, transportation equipment, repeaters, heavy equipment excavators and water tankers and 1500 basic food packages.

The TNI's Alutsista that has been recorded as being deployed includes the floating hospital ship KRI dr. Soeharso 990 and KRI Teluk Ende 517, Cassa NC 212-200 and Aviocar U-6207 are in Mamuju, 1 Boeing 737 aircraft from Air Squadron 5 Lanud Hasanuddin, 2 Hercules C-130 aircraft from Air Squadron 33 Hasanuddin Base and Air Squadron 31 Lanud Halim Perdanakusuma

Then 1 CN 295 aircraft from Air Squadron 2 Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base and 1 Nas-332 Super Puma Helicopter from Air Squadron 6 Atang Sandjaja Base.

In addition to Alutsista, the Indonesian Navy has also prepared Health Battalions (Yonkes) 1 and 2 Marines, 1 Marine Engineer Battalion who will help clean up earthquake-affected areas for rehabilitation and reconstruction, Lantamal VI Makassar with 97 personnel to support search and rescue (SAR) and health.

There are also hundreds of tons of logistics in the form of rice, instant noodles, mineral water, cardboard biscuits, sardines, eggs, cabin biscuits, rations, sugar, towels, toiletries, portable velbeds, field tents, generators, dirt bikes, gasoline, a place to eat, medical devices and medicines and communication tools.

Meanwhile, for floods in Martapura, South Kalimantan, apart from deploying soldiers and distributing all assistance, the TNI Commander also fielded 35 rubber boats.

Assistance to this disaster is a form of TNI's concern in humanitarian missions and is also part of the main duties of the TNI as mandated in Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the Indonesian National Army Article 7 Paragraph 2, including carrying out Military Operations Apart from War (OMSP).