Jakarta. The Indonesian government is set to dispatch humanitarian aid worth Rp 17 billion ($1.04 million) to support victims of the landslide disaster that claimed hundreds of lives in Papua New Guinea. The assistance is scheduled to be delivered on July 8.

Chief Cultural Affairs Minister Muhadjir Effendy said that the disaster in May has tragically resulted in 670 fatalities and displaced 1,250 individuals.

"International aid has been arriving, and we will bolster these efforts with our contribution. The total value of our aid will exceed Rp 17 billion," Muhadjir said in his office in Jakarta on Monday.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin detailed the aid packages Indonesia will send, comprising five groups.

"The first group includes pharmaceuticals. The second is supplemental food for pregnant women and toddlers. The third consists of specialized malaria medications," Budi explained.

"The fourth group is hygiene kits primarily for children. The fifth involves water purifiers, as clean water is urgently needed — we can provide up to 300 liters of clean water daily," he added.

Furthermore, the Director General of Information and Public Diplomacy at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Siti Nugraha Mauludiah, emphasized the urgency of expediting humanitarian aid, given that the disaster occurred a month ago.

"Coinciding with the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea on July 14, the aid will be delivered before his visit," she concluded.

The Papua New Guinea Government estimates its population at around 10 million people, although a 2022 UN study, which used data including satellite photographs of rooftops, suggested it could be as high as 17 million. The nation has not conducted an accurate census in decades.

The lack of reliable census data adds to the challenges of determining how many are potentially dead.

Additionally, the landslide buried a 200-meter stretch of the province's main highway under debris 6 to 8 meters (20 to 26 feet) deep, posing a significant obstacle for relief workers.

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