8 PMI Asal NTB Terdampak Gempa Turki Sudah Pulang Ke Tanah Air, 1 Langkap Dikebumikan Di Lombok Barat

Rescue teams are trying to find victims in the rubble of the building as a result of the earthquake that rocked Turkey. (Wikimedia Commons-Mahmut Bozarslan-VOA)

As many as eight Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) from West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) affected by the Turkish earthquake have been sent back to Indonesia.

One of the PMIs from NTB who became a victim of the deceased earthquake named Irma Lestari has been buried in her hometown in Parampuan Village, Labuapi District, West Lombok Regency, NTB, Thursday, February 23.

"If there are eight NTB residents who have been sent home. What we are returning together is the same flight as the late Irma Lestari," said the Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens and BHI of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu), Judha Nugraha after the funeral.

He explained that the eight PMIs from NTB had been working in Turkey. However, due to the earthquake that hit Turkey on Friday, February 17, they had to be sent back to their respective areas after previously being evacuated at the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

"The eight who were sent home were all from Lombok," said Judha Nugraha.

According to him, since the Turkish earthquake occurred, five Indonesian citizens have lost contact, but three of them can be contacted. Meanwhile, two more, namely on behalf of Irma Lestari from Lombok and Ni Wayan Supini from Bali died.

"Alhamdulillah, three people survived. Two people died, namely Mrs. Irma Lestari and Ni Wayan Supini's mother," he said.

According to him, the two Indonesian citizens who died lived in the Gallery Apartment in Dyarbakir City, Turkey. Apart from Irma Lestari, there were also other victims who died, namely Ni Wayan Supini from Bali.

"So, Irma's mother's residence in the apartment completely collapsed, there were 89 people who died in the apartment, including Irma's mother and Ni Wayan. Reportedly it was on the 15th floor, but we don't know exactly yet, but we saw firsthand that the condition of the apartment had collapsed," he said.

Previously, the Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey Lalu Muhammad Iqbal in his official statement said there were about 500 Indonesian citizens who were in the vicinity of the earthquake.

A total of 128 people have been successfully evacuated by the Indonesian Embassy team Ankara. The rest are safe and have found safe shelters around the earthquake area. A total of 10 Indonesian citizens were seriously injured and have been handled by the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara.