Indonesia’s recovery programme from catastrophe begins in November
Spokesman of the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency Sutopo Purwo Nurgroho said on October 28 that the reconstruction and rehabilitation programme following the disastrous quakes and tsunami will begin next month.
Rescue efforts in tsunami-hit Palu city (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) – Spokesman of the Indonesian National DisasterManagement Agency Sutopo Purwo Nurgroho said on October 28 that the reconstructionand rehabilitation programme following the disastrous quakes and tsunami willbegin next month.
The country will need more than 10 trillion rupiah (657 million USD) to carryout the two-year programme, he added.
The same day,Indonesian authority put the casualty of the catastrophe in Central Sulawesiprovince at 2,086, the number of injured people at 4,438, while financial lossratcheted up to 18.48 trillion rupiah (1.22 billion USD).
Nugroho said the downside risks on economy in the form of financial losses anddamages resulted from the quakes and tsunami are expected to rise as theassessments of the impacts have not been completed yet.
Palu capital of Central Sulawesi province is the hardest hit, followed by thedistrict of Sigi, Parigi Mountong and Donggala. Downpour on October 21triggered floods and landslides in Sigi, hampering rescue efforts in thedevastated areas.
Some 32.7 tonnes of relief aids have been channeled to the survivors there.
Earlier, the 6.0-, 7.4- and 6.1-magnitude quakes followed by a tsunami by up to3 metres on September 28 have destroyed 68,451 houses, 327 religious buildings,and 7 bridges, and cracked roads in 168 areas.
The Indonesian Government is planning to build a new city as alternate to Palucity as it is impossible to re-construct the city on the previous ground. Duyu,Pondok and Pembewe are three locations being considered.
Indonesia is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamisbecause of its location on the "Ring of Fire", an arc of volcanoesand fault lines in the Pacific Basin.
A series of earthquakes in July and August killed nearly 500 people on theholiday island of Lombok, hundreds of kilometres southwest of Sulawesi.
In 2004, a substantial earthquake off the northern Indonesian island of Sumatratriggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean, killing 220,000 people in 13countries, including more than 168,000 in Indonesia.-VNA
The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s staff have raised a total of 2 billion Rupiah (around 131,000 USD) to assist survivors of earthquakes and subsequent tsunami in Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province as well as quake-affected people in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara province.
A 6-magnitude earthquake has struck off the Indonesian island of Java, killing three people and damaging many buildings while causing panic among residents.
At least 22 people have died and many are missing in flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rain in western Indonesia, the country’s national disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) said on October 13.
The Indonesian Government has announced a plan to build a new city to replace the old city of Palu in Central Sulawesi province, which was recently ravaged by earthquakes and tsunami that killed over 2,000 and forced tens of thousands of others to evacuate.
The handover ceremony was held at the Malaysian Embassy headquarters in Mexico City on August 8, with the presence of heads of diplomatic missions from ASEAN member states in Mexico.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Rescue efforts in tsunami-hit Palu city
