Accommodation for Lombok victims

SUNGAI PETANI: Malaysians stranded by the earthquake in Lombok, Indonesia, on Sunday will be placed in special accommodation before being brought home as soon as possible.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the government would ensure efforts to bring back the 161 Malaysians were smooth.

“The accommodation is to facilitate work to bring them home as soon as possible,” she said after officiating the closing of the earthquake and tsunami threats simulation at SMK Kota Kuala Muda here yesterday.

On Sunday, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Lombok island, killing more that 90 people.

Dr Wan Azizah said the government was waiting for requests from the Indonesian government to extend aid.

In expressing her condolences, she hoped Malaysia could learn from the incident and be prepared for disasters.

“We are neighbours. I hope the people will always take preparatory measures.”

Mercy Malaysia executive council member and team leader for the Lombok earthquake response Norazam Ab Samah said no Malaysians were affected by the second earthquake and aftershocks in Lombok on Sunday and Monday. The first quake killed a Malaysian.

He said he did not learn of any Malaysians in distress yet.

“No Malaysians. I haven’t met any yet in North Lombok. But tremors are felt every now and then. On Monday night, when I arrived in Lombok, we felt an aftershock with a magnitude of 5.4.”

Norazam, who arrived in Desa Pemenang, North Lombok, with Mercy Malaysia’s second team to Lombok, said the situation after the earthquake was a sorry sight.

“People are camping out in the open, sleeping under makeshift tents of tarpaulin, and children and senior citizens are sleeping on the cold hard ground.”

Since the first earthquake on July 29, 97 people have died, 365 were hurt and 8,871 displaced.