23 Bodies Of Victims Of The Mount Semeru Disaster Identified

East Java Police Chief Inspector General Nico Afinta/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

LUMAJANG - A total of 23 bodies of victims of the hot cloud disaster from Mount Semeru (3676 masl) in Lumajang Regency, East Java, have been identified by the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Team of the National Police Headquarters.

The DVI team received 34 bodies and one body part from the evacuation team for the victims of the Mount Semeru disaster who were sent to the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) dr Haryoto and Bhayangkara Tirta Yatra Hospital in Lumajang Regency.

"Of the 34 bodies, 23 have been identified and the evacuation team is still conducting searches," said East Java Police Chief Inspector General Nico Afinta when inspecting the DVI Command Post at Bhayangkara Tirta Yatra Lumajang Hospital, quoted by Antara, Thursday, December 9.

According to him, his arrival at Bhayangkara Tirta Yatra Hospital in Lumajang was to carry out synergy in handling the Mount Semeru disaster and several East Java Regional Police activities including the search and evacuation task force carried out by Sabhara and Brimob.

"We have deployed 14 heavy equipment along with dump trucks and one truck containing 5,000 liters of diesel fuel to support this activity, and there are 4 companies of troops that we have reported to the Danrem and Regent in synergy with Basarnas and BPBD," he said.

He said the search and evacuation task force was carried out with other stakeholders, then the health task force had carried out treatment and identification with DVI, then also carried out trauma healing and provided medicines.

"For the implementation of the DVI team, there are already containers that have been sent and are working well, as many as 34 bodies and one body part have been collected there," he said.

In addition, he continued, there was also a Logistics Task Force which collected logistical assistance and handed it over to the Lumajang Regent which was collected by Pendapa Arya Wiraja for distribution to areas in need.

"I received information that the aid in the form of food is still sufficient, but the community's request is related to housing issues and we will report it to the Lumajang Regent," he said.

During the visit of the President and the National Police Chief, he continued, steps had been taken to relocate the victim's house and his party appealed to the people living in Candipuro and Pronojiwo sub-districts to report to the Task Force and the Police Call Center, if they lost their families, so that a search could be carried out.