Jakarta, ThedailyID — Indonesia’s military has deployed 8,012 troops and 27 military assets to support relief efforts following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
The deployment had reached its ninth day by Sunday (23/08), according to the Indonesian Military Information Center. The TNI said the personnel were assisting residents and supporting disaster response operations across affected areas.
The military deployed 21 aircraft, five warships and one ADRI vessel. The assets are being used to transport personnel, distribute aid and support emergency operations.
The TNI also continued delivering aid by sea and air. On Monday (24/08), it distributed 159.22 tons of aid by warship and another 37.399 tons using Indonesian Air Force aircraft.
So far, the military has delivered 803.824 tons of aid to communities affected by the earthquake.
The TNI is also coordinating with local governments, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) and other relevant institutions.
The response came after President Prabowo Subianto held a limited meeting with Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto and military service chiefs at his residence in Hambalang, West Java, on Sunday evening.
Presidential Cabinet Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya said the meeting discussed follow-up measures for forest and land fires and post-earthquake assistance in NTT.
“The President discussed the support that had been ordered to be distributed to Kalimantan and NTT, particularly through air transport,” Teddy said, as quoted from the Cabinet Secretariat’s statement, (24/08).
