Jayapura – The Papua Provincial Government has distributed humanitarian assistance to residents affected by the earthquake in Sarmi Regency. This support is expected to help ease the burden of the victims while reflecting the government’s concern for those impacted by the disaster.
Acting Regional Secretary of Papua Province, Suzana Wanggai, on Thursday (September 25), explained that the aid consisted of one ton of rice, 30 cartons of ready-to-eat meals, and 25 cartons of bottled water. “This assistance may not fully cover the losses caused by the earthquake, but we hope it can lessen the burden on the community and emphasize that the government is present for them,” Suzana stated.
She also expressed condolences for the tragedy and urged residents to remain vigilant of potential aftershocks. “We hope the community stays strong and continues to uphold solidarity in the recovery process after the disaster,” she added.
Head of the Papua Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Barkah Wisnu Raditya, said the earthquake in Sarmi was classified as shallow, triggered by the Mamberamo Thrust Belt. The affected areas included Mararena Village in Sarmi District, East Coast West District, and West Coast District.
According to Wisnu, the earthquake caused damage to houses, churches, mosques, health centers, and even vehicles. To accelerate the response, BPBD Papua is also working with various parties, including private companies through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.
Earlier, the symbolic handover of aid was carried out by Acting Regional Secretary Suzana D. Wanggai at the Main Hall of the Papua Governor’s Office in Jayapura City. Meanwhile, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that a 2.6 magnitude earthquake struck southeast of Sarmi, Papua, on Tuesday (September 23) at 06:01 AM WIB.
