Mendes PDTT Calls Village Funds Can Be USED To Handie The Jayapura Earthquake

Mendes PDTT Abdul Halim Iskandar. (ANTARA-Zubi Mahrofi)

PAPUA - Minister of Villages (Mendes), Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (PDTT), Abdul Halim Iskandar stated that the Village Fund could be used to deal with the Jayapura earthquake, Papua.

"Village drugs should not hesitate, the use of village funds is allowed for handling natural disasters in accordance with the authority of the village," said the Minister of Villages PDTT in Jakarta, Thursday, February 9, as reported by Antara.

He revealed that the use of the Village Fund for handling natural disasters can be used to activate evacuation posts, preparation of public kitchens, emergency health services, security of locations affected by disasters and evacuations and psychosocial support services.

He also expressed his condolences to the victims who died as a result of the earthquake that rocked Jayapura, Papua.

"I express my condolences for the earthquake in Papua that caused casualties," he said.

Separately, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that four residents died as a result of the 5.4 magnitude earthquake (M) that occurred in Jayapura City, Papua, Thursday, February 9.

The Head of the Jayapura City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Asep Khalid explained that the four victims were found from the rubble of a fire building that collapsed by earthquake shocks.

Asep said the location of the cafetaria was above the waters in the Jayapura City area, so the evacuation process was carried out by a team of experts to dive.

"There was a cafe that collapsed and there were four deaths. (The victims) were in the cafe, the shock then collapsed. The victim (the victim) was crushed. It immediately fell into the sea of the building. The building was on the edge of the talud," he said.