Manado, N Sulawesi, Jan 19 (Antara) - Five groups of people must receive a special attention during the emergency response to flood victims, Presidential Special Staff Arick Ridzky said.

"The people included in the five groups are those of elderly, under five years old, disabled, ailing persons and expecting mothers," Arick said here on Sunday.

He said that the people in the five groups must get special attention because they had physical constraint to get access to food. The elderly, disabled, children, ailing ones and expecting mothers are people who are hampered to obtain food.

"Even though food has been made available, they remain unable to obtain it, particularly in a condition of floods such as the ones that now hit Manado," Arick said when monitoring the floods here.

He said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had expressed hope the problem being faced by the flood victims in Manado would be overcome in seven days.

If not overcome in seven days, there would be another problem that the victims would face such as the emergence of different diseases.

The presidential special staff said that if services had been given to the victims, the emergency response should be focused on damaged infrastructure for repair efforts such as school buildings. They have to be repaired so that children would soon go to school.

The other data that should be made is affected resettlement to receive assistance.

On Saturday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono sent representatives to monitor conditions in Manado, North Sulawesi, following recent floods and landslides.

"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered us to directly monitor the situation in Manado," one of the staff, Basroni Kiran, said on Saturday.

Basroni, who accompanied Arick Ridzky, said President Yudhoyono was paying special attention to the disaster in Manado. Staff members have also conducted monitoring of flooding across the country.

"The President said that Manado is not alone in dealing with the natural disasters," he said.

So far, 16 people have reported to have died due to floods and landslides in Manado.

Basroni said President Yudhoyono had also asked for an official report from the regional government regarding losses.

Manado deputy mayor Vicky Lumentut, meanwhile, said residents in Manado were pleased to receive the President`s attention.

"We must, indeed, admit that some have not yet received services, but it was not done on purpose, but because of constraints," he said.

He added that infrastructure that supports roads and markets has been damaged and is not yet fully operational.

"We, however, have tried to serve all as well as we could with all our limitations. Officials in Manado have also been affected," he added. ***3***

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(T.SYS/A/A014/B003) 19-01-2014 09:29:04