National Disaster Management Agency Flew Helicopters To Flood Areas In East Nusa Tenggara For Aid Distribution To Transport Medical Personnel

Conditions after the floods in Lembata, NTT (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo ordered his staff to deploy helicopters to locations affected by the flood disaster in the regency/city of East Nusa Tenggara.

"We have ordered to send helicopters to help accelerate flood management in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT)", Doni said in his statement, Monday, April 5.

In total, there were three helicopters deployed. Doni said two helicopters would be used to distribute logistical assistance in several isolated villages due to closed road access.

Meanwhile, another helicopter transports medical personnel to a number of emergency post points, which are then used to accommodate residents who need emergency help, especially vulnerable groups.

The BNPB is also coordinating with the National Army and the National Police Force (TNI-Polri), Ministry For Public Works and Human Settlements (PUPR), East Flores Regent, East Flores Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and other joint teams to immediately send heavy equipment for the evacuation process of victims buried in mud.

Meanwhile, the Head of Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center for BNPB, Raditya Jati, said that the data was collected after officers evacuated until Monday, April 5 at 14.00 p.m. local time.

"Data on deaths are still in the process of data collection, we have collected from all affected areas, there are 68 people who died", said Raditya in BNPB Indonesia's YouTube broadcast.

In detail, the highest number of victims who died was in East Flores Regency with 44 people, then 11 people died in Lembata Regency, 11 people in Alor Regency, and 2 in Ende Regency.

"This is still dynamic, there are still around 70 people missing, with details of 26 in East Flores, 16 in Lembata, and 28 in Alor", he said.

There were also material losses in the form of 25 housing units severely damaged, 114 housing units moderately damaged, 17 housing units washed away, 60 housing units submerged, 743 houses affected, 40 access points covered by fallen trees, 5 broken bridges, 1 public facility affected, and 1 ship sank.

"In addition, 15 people were recorded injured and 938 heads of families or 2.655 people who were affected by the flood", he said.