Accompanied By His Wife, Army Chief Of Staff General Dudung Abdurachman Observes Evacuation Of Residents Victims Of The Semeru Eruption

Chief of Army Staff General TNI Dudung Abdurachman visits TNI AD soldiers and evacuation sites for residents who have been victims of the eruption of Mount Semeru/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

LUMAJANG - Army Chief of Staff General TNI Dudung Abdurachman visited TNI AD soldiers and evacuation sites for residents who were victims of the eruption of Mount Semeru.

The Army Chief of Staff, who was accompanied by the General Chair of Persit Kartika Chandra Kirana, Rahma Dudung Abdurachman, inspected the evacuation site in Candipuro District, Lumajang Regency, East Java, Monday, December 13.

The Army Chief of Staff and his entourage boarded a Bell-412 TNI AD helicopter from Juanda Airport, Surabaya to the Pasirian Lumajang Stadium, which was welcomed by the Dansatgas for Emergency Response to Hot Clouds and Falls (APG) of Mount Semeru, Colonel Inf. Irwan Subekti who is also Danrem 083/Baladhika Jaya with the Regent Lumajang Thoriqul Haq and elements of the Forkopimda of Lumajang Regency.

The Army Chief of Staff's first visit visited the Main Post of the Mount Semeru APG Disaster Emergency Response Task Force at the Pasirian District office accompanied by the Military Commander V/Brawijaya Major General Nurchahyanto, East Java Police Chief Inspector General Nico Afinta and other relevant officials.

Then, followed by a brief explanation from Colonel Inf Irwan Subekti regarding the handling of the Mount Semeru APG Disaster Emergency Response.

The Army Chief of Staff and his entourage headed to the Field Command Post to inspect the field kitchens and the refugee camps.

During his visit, General Dudung and Mrs. Rahma handed over 5,000 packages of basic food, blankets and toiletries and donated 4,800 lunch packages to residents.

After carrying out a visit to the refugee camps around the Field Command Post in Candipuro, Kasad and his entourage visited the Health Post to see trauma "healing" activities for children organized by Kesdam V/Brawijaya personnel.

TNI General Dudung Abdurachman said that his visit to Lumajang was not only to provide assistance to residents affected by the Mount Semeru disaster, but the main thing was to see TNI AD soldiers working in the field to help the community.

"My visit to Lumajang is the main thing, namely seeing my soldiers in the field how to help the community whether they have collaborated with other Task Forces optimally," Dudung said in a press release quoted by Antara.

The next visit was to Renteng village, Sumberwuluh Village, which was mostly covered by cold lava.

When he saw the activities of TNI and Polri soldiers together with Basarnas and volunteers carrying out the search for victims in the village, the Army Chief of Staff saw the joint team managed to find 1 body in the name of Mrs. Mujiani (55).

Regarding the Lumajang Regent's plan to relocate residents' houses in Renteng Village and other villages that were severely affected, the Army Chief of Staff conveyed the readiness of his soldiers to help.

"The Lumajang Regent's plan to relocate residents whose houses are quite badly affected, we are ready to help the personnel and materials we have to the maximum," he said.

After reviewing the residential areas in Renteng Village, the former Kostrad Commander reviewed the activities of Yonzipur 10/Divif 2 Kostrad which cleared the sand heap on the national road to Gladak Perak, followed by visiting the Infantry Battalion 527/BY Command Post at SD Negeri 1 Candipuro.

The Army Chief of Staff provided food packages to 292 refugees and provided assistance to the students of the Ulul Albab Candipuro Islamic Boarding School which were symbolically accepted by the caretakers of the KH Islamic Boarding School. Fahrur Rozi.