REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Transportation Ministry is sending aid relief to the victims of the 6.5-magnitude earthquake, which struck Pidie Jaya District, Aceh Province, on Wednesday morning. Transportation Ministry spokesman Bambang S Ervan said in a written statement received in Jakarta on Thursday that the aid was channeled through the ministry's Human Resources Development (BPSDM) and the Agency for Seafarer Education and Training Center (BP2IP). 

Bambang noted that BP2IP Malahayati had mobilized employees and students and was headed toward the earthquake locations with two trucks loaded with necessities. "The Transportation Ministry's representatives arrived in the quake location of Pidie Jaya. They provided the goods needed by the victims, such as drinking water, rice, instant noodles, medicines, towels, blankets, sarongs, and prayer mat."

Bambang pointed out that the quake victims in Pidie Jaya desperately needed a number of basic necessities. "Based on information from the victims, items that are still needed include medicines, a place of worship, toilets, towels, medical tents, sanitation equipment, and baby kits," he stated.

According to Bambang, the Transportation Ministry will dispatch on Friday a 50-ton capacity Boeing B-737 plane carrying relief aid to Aceh from Halim Perdana Kusuma airport. Following the earthquake, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi had ordered his officials to cooperate with air, land, and sea transportation operators to prepare transportation facilities that can be used to transport medical workers, medicines, and other assistance.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) stated on Thursday that at least 102 people have died because of the earthquake. "The number might increase as the joint SAR team continues its search for victims," Head of the Data and Information Center and spokesperson of BNPB Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said during a press conference here on Thursday.

As of Thursday at 6 a.m., official data showed that 102 people had died, while one is missing, 136 are severely injured, and 616 are lightly injured as a result of the earthquake. Further, as many as 3,276 local residents have been displaced.

Pidie Jaya District is the most affected region, with 99 of the 102 casualties being found in the region. Some 82 of the bodies have been identified so far. The authorities have deployed at least seven excavators to assist search operations in several locations affected by the tremor.

The epicenter of the quake, which occurred at 5.03 a.m., was on land in Pidie Jaya, at 5.19 degrees northern latitude and 96.36 degrees eastern longitude, at a depth of 10 km, some 18 km northeast of Pidie Jaya.Desa

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