The tropical cyclone seed has formed since Saturday, April 3rd 2021, 08:00 AM local time, created heavy rain and strong wind. Monday midnight, the seed has grown become cyclone, called cyclone Seroja, created whirlwind, heavy rain causing flash flood, landslide massive flooding and destroyed hundreds of houses, trees collapsed and landslide block villages in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Most regencies in NTT were affected by the cyclone. Data from BNPB on Monday, April 5th indicated there were 68 people died, 70 people were missing and 2,655 of people were affected. About 25 houses were destroyed. Thousands of people affected and hundreds of people were displaced. The IDPs were in urgent need for food, blanket, bedding kits, clothes and medicine.
ADRA response was focused on Malaka regency because the newer data indicated 795 houses were severely damaged. It means that many families are still displaced and need further assistance. This regency is also quite remote compared to Kupang city in NTT, so assistance is needed more. ADRA assisted with food packages for 500 families who lost their houses because their houses are severely damaged or can’t be dwelled properly. ADRA also prioritized supporting the most vulnerable families with the elderly, babies, toddlers, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. The selection of the beneficiaries was held by a team of volunteers.
The food packages were distributed in 2 villages, i.e. 343 families in Lawalu village, Malaka Tengah sub-district on 29th April 2021, and 164 families in Klesleon village, Weliman sub-district on 1st May 2021. Each beneficiary received 22 kg rice, 3 dozens canned fish, 60 eggs, 3 liters of cooking old, and a plastic food container. It was more struggle to distribute the food packages to Klesleon village because the bridge to reach this village is in damage so that the trucks could not pass the bridge. 12 traditional trolleys with local workers helped to move the food packages from the trucks on one side of the river to another side of the river.
The food packages were also distributed following health protocol due to COVID-19 prevention. Each beneficiary was encouraged to wear a mask and wash their hands before they took the food package. The ADRA team also managed the flow of the distribution to keep a distance among the beneficiaries. They also checked their body temperature to make sure that they were healthy when they took the food packages.
The families who got the food packages were happy and thankful to ADRA for the food package assistance. They really need them because they lost almost all they had due to the cyclone.
