Indonesia Immediately Send Earthquake Victim Assistance In Turkey

President Joko Widodo attended the 2023 Annual Financial Services Industry Meeting (PTIJK) at the Shangri-La Hotel, Jakarta, Monday, February 6, 2023. (SETNEG)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government will distribute humanitarian aid to Turkey to help victims of major earthquakes in the country led by President Recep Tayyip Erdo Sang.

"His assistance is being prepared by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense and also by the Ministry of Social Affairs. It has just been prepared and will be sent as soon as possible, this morning we are still looking for a plane," said President Joko Widodo as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, February 7.

On a separate occasion, Vice President Maruf Amin also conveyed about humanitarian assistance to Turkey. "In the past, when Turkey had a tsunami in Aceh, he helped the earliest. Therefore, we also spoke with the President about the Minister of Defense Prabowo, we will immediately send aid missions to (Turkey)," said the Vice President yesterday.

The Vice President emphasized that humanitarian assistance is part of Indonesia's international responsibility, where in this world every country should must help each other when a disaster occurs. In this world, we really have to help each other. It has become a tradition of humanity and I hope Baznas can also take a role in that," he said.

Meanwhile, based on information from the Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, phase one humanitarian assistance to help victims affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked the southern part of Turkey was distributed on Monday 6 February.

The package of assistance in the form of a container of food ingredients will be handed over by Ambassador Iqbal and the Indonesian Embassy team Ankara who are on their way to Gaziantep, about six hours on land travel from Ankara.

"Currently, the Indonesian Embassy team and I are moving towards Gaziantep to provide humanitarian assistance in the form of a container of food from the Indonesian government to be handed over to the Turkish Red Crescent (Turkey humanitarian organization)," Ambassador Iqbal said in a virtual press conference in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Iqbal said the food ingredients sent were instant foods accompanied by portable gas stoves and gas cylinders.

In addition to food, the Indonesian Embassy team Ankara has also prepared around 300 blankets for Indonesian citizens who choose to stay in shelters.

Thousands of people were reportedly killed and tens of thousands injured in 10 provinces in Turkey as a result of two major earthquakes that rocked the southern region of the country on Monday.

On Monday morning, an earthquake measuring 7.7 magnitude struck the Pazarcik district in Kahramanmaras province and rocked a number of other provinces, including Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Ormaniye, Hatay and Kilis.

Then at 13.24 local time (17.24 WIB) the 7.6 magnitude earthquake centered in the Elbistan Kahramanmaras district rocked the area.