Governor Viktor Laiskodat Declares NTT A Disaster Emergency Response Status

BNPB Chief Doni Monardo crosses a broken bridge in Alor NTT Regency (DOK BNPB)

JAKARTA - The Governor of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat declared his area an emergency response status from April 6 to May 5.

The emergency response status of tropical cyclones, flash floods, landslides, and tidal waves in NTT Province is determined by decree No. 118/KEP/HK/2021.

"The determination of this decision was taken based on the impact of Tropical Cyclone Seroja in Kupang city and 21 districts in NTT region from April 2 to April 5, 2021", said Head of Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center BNPB Raditya Jati in a statement, Thursday, April 8.

The determination of this status is contained in Law No. 24 of 2007 on Disaster Management. Disaster emergency response status, in this regulation, is the situation when the threat of disaster occurs and has disrupted the lives and livelihoods of a group of people.

"With the determination of emergency response decisions is expected to accelerate disaster management in the NTT region", said Raditya.

Based on the data collected until Wednesday, April 7, night, the total fatalities in several districts and cities affected amounted to 138 people.

Details of the death toll, namely East Flores Regency 67 people, Lembata 32, Alor 25, Kupang 5, Malacca 4, Sabu 2, Ngada 1, Ende 1, and Kupang City 1.

There are still 61 people declared missing. The following details are Lembata 35, Alor 20, and Flores Timur 6. Meanwhile, material losses in the housing sector amounted to 1,114 units with details of severely damaged 688 units, moderately damaged 272, and lightly damaged 154.

Several helicopters have also been deployed to affected locations. This air operation is supported by the Air Force Task Force which also facilitates the delivery of aid from donors and medical volunteers to hard-to-reach areas by land transportation.

"By maintaining this synergy, it is expected that the handling of flash floods, landslides, and tidal waves can be done properly and appropriately", he concluded.