BNPB Head Visits Affected Areas of Bali's Earthquake

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Disaster Mitigation National Agency (BNPB) Head Ganip Warsito visited Karangasem and Bangli Districts in Bali Island on Sunday to observe the impacts of 4.8-magnitude earthquake that jolted the areas on Saturday.

The earthquake that struck Bali Province on Saturday at 03:18 p.m. local time caused destruction in several locations. The disaster zones severely affected by the quake are located in the two districts.

According to a written statement received here on Sunday, Warsito and his entourage began the visit in Ban Village, Kubu Sub-District, Karangasem District, to observe the readiness of command posts there.

As of Saturday at 06:00 p.m. local time, the earthquake killed three people and wounded 25 others.

During the visit, he expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the villagers who lost their loved ones and suffer the impacts of the quake. He also ensured that basic needs for affected residents are available.

To expedite the disaster emergency response aid, the BNPB has supplied 443 packages of food, 152 packages of additional nutrition, 60 packages of instant food, and 20 family tents to each of the affected districts.

Warsito also urged locals to stay calm, and regional governments to continue disaster mitigation programs in an endeavor to improve their disaster readiness.

The residents need to be trained and edified to improve their disaster literacy while night patrols could also be restored to reduce disaster risks of aftershocks, he said.

"Residents themselves must build their alertness and readiness. Regional leaders must be able to encourage their people to get well prepared for facing disaster risks in future," Warsito said.

Read: Indonesian Army Helps Evacuate Bali Earthquake Victims

ANTARA