Indonesia Seeks Help from UNDP on Flood

VIVAnews - State Minister of National Development Planning/Head of National Development Planning Agency, Paskah Suzetta, said the government is aiming at a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme to look into the flood disaster in Semarang, Central Java. The partnership is aimed at evaluating the extent of losses caused by the flood.

"We have already started assessment with UNDP to see how [goods] distribution and farming are affected," said Suzetta in the House of Representatives (DPR) on Thursday, Feb 12. After the investigation is carried out, the government will then ask the Department of Public Works to proceed according with the results.

Suzetta said the government chose UNDP because the organization is known to be excellent in technical assistance. It is expected that the complete calculation of potential losses may soon be concluded.

Semarang faces serious problems in the current flood disaster. Airport, trains and bus stations as well as rice-fields are seriously inundated.

Translated by: Bonardo Maulana Wahono