President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife Mrs. Ani Yudhoyono left for Bengkulu at 7 am on Monday to observe affected areas in Bengkulu and West Sumatra that were hit by a quake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale last Wednesday afternoon.

Accompanied by Minister for Public Works Djoko KIrmanto, Minister for Health Siti Fadilah Supari, Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces Air Marshal Djoko Suyanto, cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi, the president left Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force base on board of a special aircraft, Boeing 737-500.

The President and his entourage are scheduled to arrive at Fatmawati Soekarno Airport in Bengkulu at 8.15 am and will be welcomed by Bengkulu Governor Agusrin M Najamudin.

President Yudhoyono will directly proceed to the Bengkulu Provincial Natural Disaster Handling Centre (Satkorlak) and continue to Muko Muko District, which was badly hit by the quake, at 9.15 am on board of a presidential helicopter.

The president is slated to visit the site at 11.30 after being briefed by the Muko Muko Regent.

The President and a limited number of entourage will then proceed to Lunang Silaut sub district, Pesisir Selatan District, West Sumatra at 1.40 pm and visited areas I, accompanied by the West Sumatra governor at about 2.15 pm.

There, the president will give briefings and visit the houses of quake survivors and hand over aid symbolically to them.

The president is also scheduled to perform an afternoon prayer at Nurul Hikmah Balai Salasa mosque, Ranah Pesisir sub district.

The president and entourage are expected to stay at the official house of the Pesisir Selatan District in Painan and leave for Jakarta on the following day from Minangkabau International Airport at 11 am.
(www.antara.co.id)