Aid for Nepali Quake Victims Arriving in Four Days: Jokowi

Kuala Lumpur, April 27 (ANTARA Lampung) - Aid from Indonesia for the victims of Saturday's devastating earthquake in Nepal is expected to arrive in three to four days, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated here on Sunday night.

"As I earlier said before leaving Jakarta for Kuala Lumpur that Indonesia is ready to provide assistance to the quake victims in Nepal, but the aid will probably arrive in three to four days because the airport there was also affected by the earthquake," Jokowi noted after attending a gala dinner with other ASEAN heads of state/government and delegations at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC).

The Indonesian president however added that it was being discussed whether the aid from Indonesia would be sent either via India or directly to Nepal.

Jokowi affirmed that Indonesia will not only provide aid but also send search and rescue and medical teams to the quake-hit areas in Nepal.

In the meantime, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said she was internally coordinating about the shipment of the aid from Indonesia to Nepal.

"Tomorrow, we will discuss in detail about the form of aid and the shipment," Retno said at the KLCC here on Sunday night.

She noted that Indonesia will send search and rescue and medical teams along with humanitarian supplies including basic necessities and food packets for the quake victims in Nepal.

The minister pointed out that some 49 Indonesian citizens were in Nepal when the powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale jolted the country.

"Of the 49 Indonesian citizens in Nepal, 18 were settled there, while 31 others were on a visit," Retno revealed, adding that 19 of them had already been contacted, but the rest were unreachable as the communication links were disrupted due to the earthquake.