Premium Fuel Prices Spike in Adonara

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

A queue of residents and vehicles at a refueling point in Waiwerang, Adonara Island, East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Tuesday (13/4/2021). The stock of fuel, especially premium is limited, so that prices at the retail level have risen sharply.

After flash floods swept through Adonara Island, East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on April 4, the price of premium fuel at retailers in the area nearly tripled. Grieving residents are currently waiting for the prices to stabilize.

On Tuesday (13/4/2021), fuel in a 1.6-liter bottle was sold for Rp 30,000. It is only Rp 10,320 at the agent level. “We were forced to raise prices because we had to queue for hours,” said Fatima Abas, 52, a retail gasoline seller. The price at the shelter is Rp 6,450 per liter.

The floods destroyed the only public fuel station (SPBU) in the area. Gas stations were also closed due to the limited availability of fuel.

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The government brings fuel from Larantuka, the capital of East Flores, to Adonara by boat. The fuel is then stored in Waiwerang, East Adonara. Fuel was rationed so each person could only buy 20 liters at most.

Residents queued from 7 a.m., while sales only began after 10 a.m. “Sometimes, even though we queue for hours, once we finally get in, [the fuel] has run out,” said Titus Kayan, 35, a resident of Pandai village, Wotan Ulumado, 9 kilometers from Waiwerang.

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East Flores Regent Anton G Hadjon said his party was coordinating with state-owned gas firm Pertamina to facilitate the distribution of fuel to Adonara.

Eight days after the disaster, the death toll in NTT had reached 177 people, with 45 others still missing.

Kompas

The 94W cyclone seed is in the position of 7.1 North Latitude and 139.9 East Longitude, about 1,010 kilometers north-east of Biak, Papua Province. In the next 24 hours, this cyclone seed is expected to strengthen into a tropical cyclone. Source: BMKG

Yesterday, the Central Java administration sent logistical assistance worth Rp 503.7 million for disaster victims in NTT. Central Java is also communicating and cooperating with other regions, including East Java, which was rocked by an earthquake on Saturday.

As of Tuesday, survivors of the 6.1-magnitude earthquake in Malang regency, East Java, whose houses were damaged, were waiting for help with housing repairs and construction. “We have already received logistical assistance from the province, such as rice, instant noodles and cooking oil,” said Sutrisno, 65, a resident of neighborhood unit (RT) 005, community unit (RW) 001 in Central Majang, Dampit subdistrict.

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As of Tuesday evening, 4,404 houses and 170 schools had been reported damaged in Malang regency as a result of the disaster. Destruction occurred in 29 of 33 subdistricts. Moreover, the casualties had increased to 4 people, with 104 others injured.

New cyclone seeds

It has the potential to strengthen and grow into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours.

After the tropical cyclone in the southern Indian Ocean disappeared, Indonesia’s northern waters became turbulent. The 94W cyclone seed in the Pacific Ocean north of Papua continues to strengthen and is predicted to become a full-fledged tropical cyclone. The northern parts of North Maluku should be wary of torrential rains for the next three days.

According to a report from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Jakarta Tropical Cyclone Warning Center, the position of the 94W cyclone seed on Tuesday was about 1,010 kilometers northeast of Biak, Papua. The cyclone seed is moving northwest as fast as 18 kilometers per hour away from Indonesian territory.

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“It has the potential to strengthen and grow into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours. However, its impact on Indonesia’s weather will be indirect,” said BMKG public meteorology center head Fachri Radjab.

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.