Tropical cyclone Seroja in Indonesia killed 124

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The impact of tropical cyclone Seroja in Indonesia’s province of East Nusa Tenggara has killed 124 with 74 others still missing, the National Disaster Management Agency said on Wednesday.

The agency’s spokesman Raditya Jati said the deaths were reported in East Nusa Tenggara province’s districts of East Flores (67), Lembata (28), Alor (21), Malaka (3), Sabu Raijua (2), Ende (1) and Kupang (1) as well as Kupang city (1).

“These numbers are still dynamic as the evacuation process is still being carried out,” Jati told a virtual press conference.

The natural disaster has also injured 129 people, while 13,230 were displaced at a number of evacuation points.

In addition, 87 public facilities were damaged, while 688 houses were heavily devastated, 272 moderately destroyed, and 154 slightly damaged.

Up until today, a number of areas are still isolated and the electricity grid is cut off.

Authorities have distributed foods, blankets and tents to the displaced.

In order to prevent the spread of the virus infection in evacuation posts, the authorities have also sent face masks and provided 10,000 COVID-19 antigen tests.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, such extreme weather as heavy rains, strong winds, and high sea waves of up to 6 meters occurred after the tropical cyclone Seroja was whirled in the Savu Sea, south of East Nusa Tenggara province with a peak on April 5, 2021.

Currently, Seroja’s wind speed rises to 130 kilometers per hour and moves away from Indonesia’s territory, although the impact would still be felt in a number of provinces in the southern part of the country for the next few days.

Seroja is the 10th tropical cyclone hitting Indonesia since 2008 but had the worst impact as it made landfalls.

Reporting by Indonesia Window