VP Gibran inspects earthquake damage, visits displaced residents

Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka inspected earthquake-damaged Laurentius Say Port and visited displaced residents, distributing toys and books to children at an evacuation site in Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Gibran, accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Chief Suharyanto, reviewed the evacuation site at SD Inpres Wairklau after arriving Thursday afternoon.

At the site, Gibran spoke with residents living in evacuation tents and distributed toys and books to children displaced by the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck NTT on Saturday, August 15.

He also handed baby supplies to a mother at the evacuation site.

The visit underscored the government’s efforts to ensure education remains a priority amid the emergency.

Post-disaster recovery is expected not only to restore damaged schools but also to ensure children can safely resume learning while receiving necessary support.

After reviewing the Wairklau evacuation site, Gibran proceeded to Laurentius Say Port, which was damaged by the earthquake.

BNPB reported that 71 people had died in NTT as of Wednesday, August 19, at 8 p.m. Western Indonesian Time.

The number of displaced people across NTT stood at 59,647, with Manggarai recording the largest number of evacuees.

As of Tuesday, August 18, at 6 p.m. WIB, 165 metric tons of aid had been delivered by air, bringing total assistance distributed since August 15 to 398 tons.

Aid deliveries will continue by land as the primary transportation method.

Translator: Prisca, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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