Minister Tri Rismaharini visits West Pasaman earthquake victims

Simpang Empat (ANTARA) - Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini visited earthquake victims in Nagari Kajai, Talamau Sub-district, West Pasaman District, West Sumatra Province, on Saturday.

Minister Rismaharini observed the damage caused by the disaster, visited refugee camps, disbursed over Rp15 million in compensation to the heirs of those who died in the earthquake, and allocated aid to the victims of the natural disaster.

The ministry's assistance comprised two thousand ready-to-eat food packages, 100 boxes of packaged drinks, 300 packages of tableware, 300 roll tents, 50 family tents, four red and white tents, 300 mattresses, 300 blankets, 300 packages of family kits, 300 packages of kitchen utensils, 70 velbeds, 300 packages of sanitary napkins, 10 packages of child essentials, 300 packages of baby diapers, and 300 packages of baby clothing.

"The aid from the Palembang warehouse had been immediately delivered to West Pasaman District," the minister remarked.

Moreover, additional assistance for the victims had been sent from the warehouse of the Social Welfare Education and Training Center in Padang.

The aid sent from Padang included 30 family tents, 500 packages of baby clothes, 200 mattresses, three multipurpose family tents, 100 mattresses, 40 boxes of bottled drinking water, 200 packages of tableware, 200 packages of family kitchen utensils, 100 packages of baby diapers, 100 packages of sanitary napkins, 200 blankets, and 500 packages of children's food.

Furthermore, assistance for the earthquake victims was sent from the West Sumatra Province Social Service Warehouse in the form of 400 ready-to-eat food packages, 400 ready-to-eat side dishes, 200 blankets, 400 children's food packages, 100 mattresses, 200 rolled tents, 20 packages of family kitchen utensils, 200 mattresses, 100 packages of adult clothing, and 100 packages of baby clothing.

The ministry had dispatched a team to map the impact of the earthquake, evacuate earthquake victims, and distribute aid to them.

According to data, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake, which struck the West Pasaman region on Friday morning, claimed as many as four lives. Among other casualties were heavy injuries inflicted to 19 people and moderate injuries to seven, while 36 others sustained minor injuries.

The disaster also damaged five thousand buildings and forced some 10 thousand people to flee.