VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) will provide more emergency shelters for COVID-19 patients in quake-hit West Sulawesi province to conduct self isolation.

"Only two shelters have been set up at a hospital. (BNPB Chief) Mr. Doni Mondardo wants four more shelters," Chief of the West Sulawesi Provincial Health Office dr Alief Satria said on Saturday.

He said the BNPB should immediately set up emergency shelters for COVID-19 patients who are currently being sheltered at hospitals to conduct self isolation. Moreover, contact tracing will be conducted to quake evacuees who have come in close contact with COVID-19 patients.

Field hospitals should immediately be set up to anticipate a shortage of treatment rooms due to the large number of evacuees, he said.

Moreover, almost all patients are still traumatized to stay indoors and are wary of aftershocks, he said.

The West Sulawesi Provincial Disaster Mitigation Task Force has reported a total of 89,624 people of Mamuju and Majene districts which bore the brunt of a 6.2-magnitude earthquake on January 15, are still taking refuge.

Spokesman for the task force M. Natsir said on Saturday. the evacuees are being sheltered in 249 camps comprising 105 camps with more than 100 evacuees and 124 camps with less than 100 evacuees in Mamuju and 20 camps with more than 100 evacuees in Majene.

Some 15 thousand residents fled their homes following the powerful quake.

Secretary of the West Sulawesi Province Muhammad Idris said 91 people lost their lives, 320 people were very seriously injured, 426 people were seriously injured, 240 people were moderately injured and 2,703 people were lightly injured

"Three people are still missing in Majene district and two others died at evacuee camp," he said.

A powerful quake rocked the districts of Majene and Mamuju early on Friday (Jan 15). The epicenter of the quake was located on land, six kilometers northeast of Majene, at a depth of 10 kilometers. (Antaranews)