Police Send 1,500 Officers to Help Sunda Strait Tsunami Victims

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Police (POLRI) deployed a total of 1,500 personnel to Banten and Lampung to help victims cope with the impact of Sunda Strait tsunami that occurred on late Saturday, December 22.

"The National Police assign 1,500 personnel and we still focus on evacuating victims along the coast or villages that have not been reached," said National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo at National Police Headquarters in South Jakarta, Monday, December 24.

The personnel will be tasked to record death toll, carry out first aid for injured victims, record material losses, damaged houses, public facilities, hotels, worship places, and others.

"Their most important duty is to identify dead victims and join the joint SAR team and volunteers. We will optimize the work because the process to identify dead body must be done quickly," said Dedi.

Sunda Strait tsunami occurred on Saturday, December 22, at around 21:27 Western Indonesia Time (WIB). The tsunami was allegedly triggered by an underwater avalanche due to the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau (child of Mount Krakatoa). Currently, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the local government still hand in hand carrying out disaster emergency response.

The BNPB Post per today, December 24, at 07:00 recorded 281 people died, 1,016 people were injured, 57 people went missing, and 11,687 people were displaced due to the tsunami.

Meanwhile, the POLRI noted 240 people were found dead (179 in Banten and 61 in Lampung), 736 people suffered injuries (506 people in Banten area and 230 in Lampung region), and as many as 408 people in Banten were missing.

ANDITA RAHMA