91 Members Deployed To Mount Marapi, Basarnas Message: Safety First, Zero Accident

The SAR Photo Archives is searching for victims of the cold lava flood of Mount Marapi in Manunggal, Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra, Monday (13/5/2024). BETWEEN PHOTOS/Givo Alputra/aww.

JAKARTA - Search and rescue team (SAR) officers were asked to prioritize personal safety during the search and rescue operation for victims of the cold lava flood of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra (West Sumatra)

"Take care of your health and always wear personal protective equipment and cohesiveness in the field, basically safety first, zero accident and keep your spirits up," said Basarnas Operations Director Edy Prakoso, confirmed from Jakarta, Monday, May 20, as reported by Antara.

According to him, maintaining personal safety is a special message given to SAR officers because they are already in the field with all their natural challenges since the disaster hit on May 11, 2024.

Basarnas confirmed that currently a total of 91 officers from the Padang SAR Office, Mentawai, Jambi, Pekanbaru, and the Jakarta Special Group Basarnas (BSG) were deployed to disaster locations in Tanah Datar, Agam, Padang Pariaman, Padang City, and Padang Panjang Regencies.

Since then until today, according to him, dozens of SAR officers have continued to work to find a number of victims who are still missing, along with other SAR potentials consisting of BNPB, TNI, Tagana Ministry of Social Affairs, Police, and volunteers.

The latest data on the 9th day of the SAR operation recorded a total of 61 people who died, and the remaining victims who were still being searched were 11 people from the previous 20 people.

According to him, currently the SAR team has started to move along the rivers as far as a dozen kilometers from disaster-hit residential areas to find missing victims.

This area of reach includes Muaro Sijunjung (Sijunjung), Nagari Tanjung Ameh (Land Land), Nagari Sungai Jambu (Pariangan, Tanah Datar), Nagari Panti Jao (Pasaman).

"We continue to try our best to find victims. For that, I am still at the Main Emergency Response Command Post in Batusangkar, Tanah Datar directly monitors search operations and at the same time prepares RI 1 visits," he said.