Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto informed Russian President Vladimir Putin that Indonesia is effectively handling the impact of floods and landslides across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra during their bilateral meeting.
The two leaders discussed the disasters at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Wednesday (December 10), with Prabowo briefing Putin on Indonesia’s ongoing response efforts.
“Thank you, we have been able to properly manage the situation,” Prabowo remarked, as monitored online from Jakarta through a livestream broadcast on his secretariat’s YouTube channel.
Prabowo noted that the government has mobilized significant resources to accelerate emergency measures in Sumatra, including the deployment of helicopters manufactured in Russia.
He also conveyed appreciation to Putin for expressing sympathy over the deadly disasters triggered by high-intensity rainfall and Cyclone Senyar in late November.
“Thank you for your condolences for our citizens affected by floods in several regions,” he told the Russian leader.
Earlier at the meeting, President Putin had offered his condolences, expressing solidarity with Indonesia’s ongoing struggle against the widespread emergency.
“First of all, I would like to tender my condolences over the floods affecting the Indonesian nation,” Putin stated during the meeting.
The Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that as of December 10, the hydrometeorological disasters have claimed 969 lives across multiple districts and cities in the three Sumatra provinces.
The agency recorded 252 people still missing, while at least 894,501 residents have been displaced as emergency response operations continue.
BNPB data further shows substantial impact on 156 thousand homes, including 143,427 classified as severely damaged, 2,298 with moderate damage, and 10,808 sustaining minor damage.
The disasters have also disrupted social and economic activities, affecting 215 medical facilities, 584 educational facilities, 423 houses of worship, 287 office buildings, and 498 bridges, with losses estimated at trillions of rupiah.
