Quake survivors in Serui, Papua, are in dire need of blankets as they have been forced to sleep in tents after being displaced by the 7.1-magnitude quake that struck the area nine days ago.
“It is still raining, so survivors who are staying in tents desperately need blankets, mats and mosquito nets,” Alex Kiriweno, the rescue team coordinator, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Alex, who is also Yapen regency’s third assistant secretary, said the team had received a lot of relief aid, but that this generally comprised rice, instant noodles and bottled water, while evacuees were in need of household utensils such as mosquito nets, clothing and kerosene lamps because theirs had been destroyed in the quake.
Local residents were also in short supply of clean water because the PDAM tap water company’s pipelines had been damaged in the quake.
“Water is distributed using tanker trucks and residents have to queue up to get their supply,” he said.
The condition of the quake victims had improved, he said, thanks to the arrival of relief aid from outside the area, since land and air transportation to Serui had been restored.
The team has received aid from various parties, which included tents from WVI and Papua legislative council, and food and bottled water from various foundations and donors.
According to data received by the coordinating team, 12 people were buried and killed by the landslide, and six of them have yet to be found.
Search efforts for the six missing people have been carried out manually because of the lack of heavy machinery. However, after eight days of searching, the victims’ relatives have requested that the search to be stopped.
“The relatives of the victims have resigned to fate and have held a prayer service at the scene of landslide,” Alex said.
Alex added that the fate of villagers in Ambai Biru and Mambo villages in Kosowi district remained uncertain. The only access from Serui city to the district has been cut by the landslide. “We don’t know the fate of the people there. Satkorlak has also faced difficulties in sending relief aid because of the landslide. The only access is by helicopter,” he said.