Mt Lewotobi eruption: Indonesia sends aid to affected residents

Jakarta, 20/11 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has sent food and clothing assistance for residents affected by the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

In a statement released here on Tuesday, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said that the assistance, worth Rp636 million (around US$40,081), is scheduled to be delivered in two phases.

"We have handed over the first-phase aid packages to our brothers and sisters in Flores today," he said.

According to Trenggono, the first phase of humanitarian aid included food consisting of thousands of kilograms of rice and sugar, thousands of basic food packages, instant noodles, and hundreds of snack packages.

It also included thousands of clothing packages for adults and children, along with mattresses, blankets, toiletries, and masks.

The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries also provided aid for older adults and under-five children displaced due to the eruption, such as milk.

He added that his ministry also assisted in the delivery of 1.8 tons of fish contributed by stakeholders.

The minister expressed appreciation to stakeholders who helped meet the nutritional needs of the evacuees.

The first-phase aid packages from the ministry and 1.8 tons of fresh fish were transported using two vessels that left on Sunday and Monday from Kupang.

The journey from Kupang to Larantuka, East Flores district, took eight to 12 hours.

The aid packages were handed over by officials of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries to the acting district head of East Flores, Sulastri, at the Disaster Response Post on Tuesday morning.

The aid was then sent to the Konga, Lewolaga, and Eputobi evacuation centers.