Lombok emergency response

[harryopal1]

Just looking at on line information through Wikipedia it seems Indonesia has armed forces totalling about 400,000 personnel, more than 100 helicopters and a considerable number of relatively shallow bottomed patrols boats as well as some hovercraft and amphibious vehicles. It is usual for the services to be continually involved in various exercises to ensure a quick response capacity.

I find it hard to understand why the Lombok disaster might not be seen as an exercise opportunity to mount a major response that would provide useful organizational challenges to test the skills of the armed forces

Obviously any such program requires a huge planning response but as someone without military experience I would be interested to know why a major armed forces response doesn't seem to be happening.

 

[Anglian]

Yes I wondered, there does seem a limited response from the army but not as much as you would expect on such s disaster, seeing all those people on the beach looks quite hopeless, I cannot believe they are having to pay to get off, is that true

 

[dafluff]

There is an armed forces response from all branches. Particularly medical and engineering units. About 1000 marines, a Kostrad division and 5 Brimob companies have been dispatched. Three Navy ships, including a hospital ship are also dispatched.

But I can't begin to speculate whether the amount of response is proportional to the disaster.

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/20...erahkan-pasukan-khusus-bantu-korban-gempa-ntb

 

[Anglian]

Perhaps the military aren’t getting the publicity they deserve

 

[Davita]

I'm sure the Indonesian military response is there but they just don't advertise. Maybe they need a spokesperson to convey what action they take to all media.

I was staying with my B-in-L in Jakarta when the Aceh Tsunami hit. He was General Commanding the Police Academy in Jakarta at the time and I witnessed the prompt action he went into with central command. All his cadets were on Xmas break but he rounded up the graduating seniors and sent them, including their instructors, to Aceh to help. I never read anything about that in the English media.
He's retired now but I'll see him in the next couple of weeks and ask what procedures the military/police have in case of disasters.

 

[harryopal1]

Another fair tremour here in Jimbaran. Not as long as last Sunday but enough to put residents in the street. I hate to think what this means in Lombok as I can imagine some shaky structures might come down and certainly create a lot of fear and anxiety amongst locals and those tourists still waiting to get out,
One midday news report suggested the total number of documented fatalities might be 380 with perhaps more yet to be found.