Government expected to declare Lombok earthquake as national disaster status

Mataram, West Nusa Tengga (Antaranews Lampung) - Numerous volunteers who assisted the handling of the earthquake in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara Province, hoped the government would immediately declare the national disaster status of the situation that occurred in the region.

 "If the earthquake which continues to strike Lombok Island is classified as a national disaster, then the handling can be faster, and assistance from outside will also be easier to enter,"  Quic Response Action (ACT) Main Post Commander Sutaryo remarked here
on Tuesday.

 According to him, there were still many earthquake affected victims who had not received assistance, and the aid distributed by the ACT itself has not been able to reach the victims in some isolated areas.

The same thing was  also conveyed by the Head of Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center of West Nusa Tenggara, Muslimin.

Seeing the impact of the earthquake, Muslimin expressed hope that the government would immediately set a national disaster status in Lombok.

 "The casualties continued to increase with more damages even spread to other areas such as Sumbawa Island, as the earthquake continues to hit the area.

Muslimin hopes that the government will prioritize the interests of the affected communities through the establishment of national disaster status.

Moreover, rumors circulated that the reason the government had not set a national disaster status was because it considered economic aspects such as the tourism sector.

In the meantime, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Data, Information and Public Relations Center Chief Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the national potential was still able to overcome the Lombok disaster without stating it was a national disaster.

According to Sutopo, the determination of status or level of disaster is based on five main variables, namely the number of victims, loss of property, damage to facilities and infrastructure, wide coverage of the area affected by the disaster and the social impact caused.

"However, that indicator alone is not enough. There are indicators that are difficult to measure, namely the condition of the existence and functioning of local governments," he explained.

Sutopo said that if the regional heads and their subordinates still exist and can run the government, then the determination of national disaster status does not need to be done.