REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The National Zakat Board (Baznaz) called on the zakat movement, both for Baznas and the privat zakat institution (LAZ) at the national and regional levels to help the 7.4 SR earthquake and tsunami in Palu City and Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi. Chairman of Baznas, Prof Bambang said all movements to help victims at these locations were under the command of the Central Baznas.

"To all levels of Baznas and LAZ, let's help our brothers and sisters, the victims of the Central Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami in a coordinated manner under the direction of the central Baznas through the Baznas Disaster Response (BTB)," he said in a written statement received by Republika.co.id, on Sunday.

Bambang appreciated the rapid and massive response made by Baznas and LAZ at the earthquake in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. He invited similar things to be done again to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Palu and Donggala.

"Let's do it as well as we did in Lombok or even better," he said.

Through this coordination it is hoped that assistance will be appropriate to the victims and more quickly accepted by the people in need. Baznas has sent a rescue team and medical team from Jakarta and Makassar, South Sulawesi to support the basic needs of the disaster and rescue victims.

In addition, Baznas also mobilized medical personnel from Parigi Moutong Hospital, Central Sulawesi, which is three hours away from Palu. Although the buildings and facilities of the Parigi Moutong Hospital were damaged by the earthquake, it did not dampen their determination to help others.

Meanwhile, the government has prepared Rp560 billion to provide relief, in response to the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi. Finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said in Jakarta on Saturday the money was an on-call fund kept at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

According to the BNPB, a total of 2.4 million people have been affected by the quake in 13 sub-districts in Donggala and eight sub-districts in Palu. As of Saturday evening, the number of evacuees in Palu has been estimated at 16,700 people, being housed at 24 locations.

"Until 17:00 hours, based on preliminary data, a total of 384 people have died, and 29 in Pantoloan Induk, Palu city, remain missing," BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

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