Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini reviewed the readiness of social granaries in disaster-prone areas in Tulungagung and Trenggalek districts, East Java province, on Saturday.

“We have prepared social granaries for the southern coastal areas due to the potential for tsunami and earthquake assessed by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG),” she remarked here before leaving for Trenggalek district on Saturday.

It is hoped that a disaster would not occur, she said. Still, the people need to prepare, she added.

During her visit, she inspected supporting equipment at a social granary in Keboireng village, Besuki sub-district, such as cookware for emergency public kitchens, rescue tools for evacuation, food stock, generators, tents, blankets, as well as water purification and sterilization devices.

The minister said that she was satisfied with the preparations at the granary and the local emergency response unit.

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There are three social granaries in Tulungagung district—in Keboireng and Besole villages, Besuki sub-district, as well as Kalibatur village, Kalidawir sub-district, she added.

“The social granaries are placed in vulnerable regions, which have been mapped by the BMKG. The strategic placement of the granaries at the evacuation points aims to facilitate the community during an emergency situation,” the minister explained.

In addition, she said she expected the granaries to accommodate refugees who cannot reach refugee camps.

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“Thus, if the additional assistance comes late, the community can use the aid stored in the granaries,” she remarked.

Furthermore, the distribution of social granaries in each region is different as it is based on the result of the vulnerable zones mapping, Rismaharini noted.

On Saturday, she also symbolically handed over aid worth Rp338,108,759 to Tulungagung district.

Meanwhile, she provided aid worth Rp361,380,642 for Trenggalek district.

Earlier, the head of BMKG, Dwikorita Karnawati, said that according to one study, an 8.7-magnitude earthquake is likely to occur in the southern region of East Java province, which could potentially trigger a 30-meter tsunami.

Source: Antara News