TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Indonesian government plans to send aid of US$1 million or Rp13 billions to earthquake victims in Nepal. “We want to help the victims,” said Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Monday.
Besides financial aid, Indonesia will also send a Search and Rescue team, though the number of personnel is still unknown.
Two days after the earthquake, Kalla said, most Indonesians in Nepal had been able to be contacted. “Only a few that could not be confirmed yet.”
Nepal was devastated by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday. The earthquake destroyed buildings in the capital Kathmandu and affected several cities in northern India, including New Delhi and Pakistan.
More than 3,000 were killed in the earthquake and the number will likely rise. Relief efforts are still being conducted in the country.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said 34 Indonesians were in Nepal when the earthquake occured and 17 of them had been confirmed as safe.
FAIZ NASHRILLAH