Road Access to Flood Locations Should Be Immediately Restored
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has instructed local authorities to speed up the opening of access roads to isolated locations.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has instructed local authorities to speed up the opening of access roads to isolated locations.
BOGOR, KOMPAS —As of Sunday, the access roads to six villages hit by floods in Sukajaya district, Bogor regency, West Java, were still cut off. Victims or volunteers have to walk one to two hours to deliver aid from the nearby relief center to the affected locations.
The six villages are Kiarasari, Kiarapandak, Urug, Cisarua, Cileuksa, and Pasir Madang. The vehicles, which carry the aids, can only reach Sukamulih village, which is near the six villages.
"Pak President has ordered us to try as soon as possible to open the access roads to isolated villages so that assistance can be immediately distributed," said the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Doni Monardo, who also accompanied President Jokowi while taking a helicopter ride to monitor the areas hit by flash floods and landslides in Sukajaya district, Bogor regency, West Java, Sunday morning.
The head of the State Secretariat, Heru Budi Hartono, said that the opening of the access road was scheduled for completion on Monday or Tuesday. The opening of the access road is needed especially for the distribution of aid.
On Sunday, President Jokowi also sent humanitarian aid in the form of 6,000 packages of staple foodstuff and cash. The assistance was handed over to representatives of residents and Sukajaya district head
The cut-off of the access roads also made it difficult for residents to get health services or to evacuate to other locations. Warti, 45, a resident of Pasir Madang, had to walk to the temporary shelter. Yati, 25, who is eight months pregnant, also walked from Cileuksa village to Sukamulih.
"I left Cileuksa at 5:30 a.m. in the morning and arrived at Sukamulih at 11:40 a.m.," said Yati, who would go to her parents\' house in Cigudeg district, Bogor regency.
The head of Sukajaya subdistrict, Hidayat Saputradinata, said that access roads had gradually been opened. Residents were no longer isolated and the assistance had been distributed to the victims. In addition to Sukajaya district, flash floods and landslides also hit Jasinga, Cigudeg, and Nanggung districts in Bogor regency.
Flash floods and landslides also occurred in six sub-districts in Lebak regency, Banten. The six districts are Sajira, Cipanas, Lebakgedong, Curugbitung, Maja and Cimarga, which are located at the border with the Bogor regency.
Based on data from the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of Lebak regency, flash floods damaged eight bridges, both permanent and suspension bridges. As a result, a number of residents in the districts of Cimarga, Sajira, Curugbitung, and Cipanas were isolated to due to the cut-off of the access roads.
Potential heavy rain
The deputy of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Mulyono R Prabowo, said heavy rains had been forecast in several regions between Jan 5 and 8.
The heavy rains would occur due to the decreased pattern of low pressure in the northern hemisphere and the increased pattern of low pressure in the southern earth region. Areas that have the potential to experience extreme weather include Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, Bengkulu, Bangka Belitung, South Sumatra, Lampung, Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, NTB and NTT.
In addition, rains are also predicted throughout the regions of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua.
In addition, rains are also predicted throughout the regions of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua. BMKG urges people to remain vigilant of the impacts of the rains such as floods, landslides, flash floods, inundation, strong winds, fallen trees and slippery roads.
Evacuees in Jakarta
According to the data provided the BPBD of Jakarta, as many as 4,401 people are still residing in 21 evacuation sites because floodwaters have not receded in their homes.
In Kampung Lubang, Pengadegan, Pancoran, South Jakarta, water entered residents\' settlements up to 4-6 meters high on Wednesday. The floods left sediment as high as 50 centimeters, both in the alley and the residents\' houses. Trash carried by the flood is still piling up in the narrow alleys of the village.
The head of the Pengadegan sub-district, Azhari, said that the removal of sediment on Sunday was focused on difficult terrain such as in the basin area. The trash was difficult to transport because their removal was carried out manually
“The condition in the RT 005, 006, 007, RW 001 neighborhoods in Kampung Lubang area was the worst because the sediment reached knee-high length [about 50 centimeters]. We are waiting for a fire truck to hose down the mud deposit so that they can flow to the nearby Ciliwung River," said Azhari.
In the homes of residents, the mud brought by the floods even reached 1 meter. Electricity in a number of areas has also not been restored so water pumps cannot be used. In fact, water is needed to get rid of mud from the house.
Meanwhile, residents who are still staying in evacuation sites still need items such as carbolic acid/disinfectants, cleaning equipment, diapers, drinking water, blankets, clothing, underwear and ready-to-eat food.
Related to health, the director general of the Disease Prevention and Control of the Health Ministry, Anung Sugihantono, said Sunday that a circular about the possible spread of leptospirosis had been issued and passed on to all local governments. The warning was issued because cases of leptospirosis continue to increase in a number of areas, especially during the rainy season. "
Epidemiological leptospirosis occurs in almost all regions in Indonesia because all regions in Indonesia have mice as hosts of the leptospira bacteria. It is feared that there could potentially be an extraordinary event of leptospirosis," he said. (NTA/KUM/HAR/TAN/DEA/IDO/AYU)