VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto instructed his ranks to send soldiers, planes, helicopters, and warship to assist victims of flash floods and landslides in East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara.

Indonesian warship KRI Oswald Siahaan (OWA)-354 is on standby to transport relief aid to the victims of natural disaster in the two provinces.

"Today, I have ordered the naval chief of staff for the departure of KRI OWA-354 to carry relief aid from the Health Ministry and the Social Affairs Ministry to East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara," Tjahjanto stated at the Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase in East Jakarta on Tuesday briefly before departing for Natuna.

The TNI will also dispatch Hercules C-130 aircraft and helicopters to assist the victims of the natural disaster.

The Hercules C-130 planes from air squadron 31 at the Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase in Jakarta and air squadron 32 at the Abdulrachman Saleh Airbase in Malang, East Java, will carry soldiers and relief aid.

"The deployment of warship and heavy transport aircraft as well as TNI soldiers to natural disaster-hit areas in East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara is part of the military operation and part of TNI's main tasks," he remarked.

Death toll in the flash floods and landslides amid extreme weather triggered by Tropical Cyclone Seroja in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara increased to 128 as of late Monday.

"In total, 128 people lost their lives during the extreme weather in several parts (of the province)," Head of the Center for Disaster Data, Information, and Communication at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Raditya Jati stated in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The deaths comprised 67 in Lembata, 49 in East Flores, and 12 in Alor. Meanwhile, 72 people are still missing, comprising 28 in Alo, 23 in East Flores, and 21 in Lembata.

According to data from the BNPB Operation Control Center, a total of 2,019 families, or 8,424 people, took refuge and 1,083 families, or 2,683 people, were affected by the disaster as of 23:00 Western Indonesia Time (WIB) on Monday.

"Most people that fled their homes are found in East Sumba reaching 7,212 (1,803 families), 958 in Lembata, 672 people (153 families) in Rote Ndao, 284 people (63 families) in West Sumba, and 256 in East Flores," Jati remarked.

The tropical cyclone also affected houses and public facilities. No less than 119 homes incurred serious damage, 118 homes sustained moderate damage, and 34 homes suffered slight damage, while serious damage was caused to 14 public facilities and light damage to one public facility. (Antaranews)