JAKARTA (UCAN): Caritas Indonesia (Karina) joined forces with the Archdiocese of Jakarta in distributing aid to people in and around Indonesia’s capital hard hit by floods over the New Year period.
According to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), at least 60 people have died because of floods and landslides in Jakarta, West Java and Banten provinces, while more than 90,000 people have been displaced.
The floods are considered among the worst to have ravaged Jakarta and its suburbs since records began.
Karina and the archdiocesan emergency response team, Daya Dharma Institute, have been distributing aid in 14 of the hardest-hit parishes in Jakarta as well as the Diocese of Bogor, Maria Lakaseru, Karina’s emergency response coordinator, said on January 5.
“Refugee service centres, public kitchens and health service centres have been established and are up and running in all these parishes,” she said.
Karina is providing, food clothes, boats and medicines.
Jesuit Father Christoforus Kristiono Puspo, director of the Daya Dharma Institute, said the main priority was meeting the needs of victims in shelters because their houses were damaged by floods. He said his group had 55 volunteers working with local people in affected areas.
Father Puspo said his team is supplying food to the parishes running public kitchens and providing clothes and blankets. It is also providing uniforms and study tools for students returning to school this week after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The priest said emergency aid was not only coming from Catholics but also from Buddhists, Confucians and Muslims.
He also expressed fears that further rain, which has been forecast, could prolong the misery. “The BNPB says more rain is expected in the coming weeks, so we have to be ready,” he said.
