Search for Missing Landslide Victims Continues in Ponorogo Despite Bad Weather
Jakarta. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency, or BNPB, resumed search for missing landslide victims in Ponorogo, East Java, on Tuesday (04/04) after suspending it for two days due to heavy rains.
The local administration has declared the village of Tangkil in the district as a disaster area. The status will remain until at least April 15.
Around 100 local residents managed to escape when an earthquake caused a landslide on Saturday morning, burying 23 homes under two meters of debris. At least 26 people are still missing.
BPNB spokesman Sutopo Nugroho said search and rescue efforts will be kept up for at least seven days after the landslide happened.
After that, the agency will meet with the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) and the victims’ families to decide whether or not to continue with the arduous search effort.
So far, the search for the missing victims has involved rescue teams from the BNPB, the Indonesian Military, the National Police, the Disaster Response Team (Tagana), Basarnas, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), local agencies and volunteers.
BNPB has given Rp 500 million ($37,500) to the Ponorogo district administration to pay for disaster recovery efforts in the area.
East Java Governor Soekarwo said he is currently scouting a relocation area for Tangkil residents.
"We support the Indonesian Military, the National Police and Disaster Mitigation Agency in their efforts to search the victims. We are also responsible for the evacuated families. Their livelihood becomes the responsibility of the district and provincial administrations," Soekarwo told the press on Monday.
Watch Indonesia Highlights at 8 p.m. tonight on the Jakarta Globe News Channel and Facebook Live to find out more about the earthquake recovery effort in Ponorogo, East Java.
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