Jakarta (ANTARA) - The main Indonesian Naval Base (Lantamal) II Padang has deployed a disaster task force (Satgas) to Anai Valley, Tanah Datar District, West Sumatra, to support search and rescue (SAR) efforts following Mount Marapi's cold lava flood.
In an official statement released by his office on Monday, Commander of Lantamal II Padang, Commodore Syufenri, informed that the task force comprising 16 troops reached the location on Monday.
The task force has joined the Padang City Basarnas Disaster Task Force, which is currently still searching for and evacuating victims in several areas, including Batang Anai, Muaro Anai, and Anai Valley in Tanah Datar.
Lantamal II Padang has also deployed trucks, rubber boats, outboard motors, trolleys, and equipment to support SAR and evacuation activities, Syufenri said.
"We are concerned about the situation. Our presence in the society must be felt positively," he added.
Residents of Agam, Tanah Datar, and Padang Pariaman districts and Padang Panjang city have been affected by flash floods and cold lava flow from Mount Marapi, which have cut off several roads, damaged hundreds of houses, and caused dozens of casualties.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has announced that as of Sunday (May 12), the number of fatalities has reached 41, while 283 people have been recorded missing.
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As of Monday, BNPB has opened a command post to coordinate disaster mitigation in affected areas. Head of BNPB's Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, informed that the post will serve as a center for coordination between joint team leaders from both the central level and district/city and provincial governments during the emergency response period for floods and landslides in the region.
According to him, the coordination will include evacuating the dead, searching for missing victims, collecting data on the number of affected residents, and evaluating the damage to agricultural and plantation public facilities.