SBY Instructs to Evacuate Quake Victims

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has instructed the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) and related apparatus to evacuate earthquake victims in Central Aceh.

"I have instructed the BNPB and related apparatus to evacuate the quake victims in Central Aceh on Tuesday," President Yudhoyono said on his Twitter account  @SBYudhoyono here on Wednesday.

The head of state said based on the report from BNPB, the humanitarian aids for the quake victims and refugees had started to be distributed.

"An air force helicopter for haze management in Pekanbaru, has been diverted to transport the humanitarian aids to the quake victims in Aceh," the president said.

President Yudhoyono offered his sympathy for the quake victims and refugees, and called on all parties to pray for them.

Hundred of people were wounded when a powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale rocked  Bener Meriah and Central Aceh districts at 2.37 pm local time on Tuesday, and disrupted communication networks to affected areas.

"Hundreds of quake victims have been sent to hospitals and some of them treated in open space," local resident Iwan Bahagia said when contacted from the Aceh provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Tuesday evening. (*/DWA)