The area of affected land continues to increase and the condition now is getting worse, prompting residents to take refuge for fear of collapsing buildings. To add to the situation, rainfalls are high.
Sukabumi, W Java (ANTARA) - More residents of Gunungbatu Village in Sukabumi District, West Java Province, have evacuated to safer ground owing to the shifting of land on which their settlements are built.

"The area of affected land continues to increase and the condition now is getting worse, prompting residents to take refuge for fear of collapsing buildings. To add to the situation, the rainfalls are high," Head of the Control and Operation Center of the Sukabumi District Disaster Mitigation Board (BPBD) Daeng Sutisna said here on Saturday.

He noted that 171 men and 167 women are taking refuge due to the earthquakes.

They fled to safer ground following concerns of the wide-ranging impacts of the disaster. Furthermore, the physical damage to several houses was apparent from the cracks developing on the walls and tilts owing to the foundation collapsing following the cracks.

The disaster caused serious damage to 12 houses, moderate damage to 57 houses and light damage to 40 houses in Kertaangsana village, Nyalindung sub-district.

Sutisna said the office has put up several army tents to shelter the evacuees. Also, some evacuees are taking refuge with their relatives.

He said he has asked Sukabumi District Head Marwan Hamami to declare a land shift emergency status for the village.

In addition, the BPBD has also established coordination with the Transportation Office and the Public Works Office to divert large tonnage vehicles from the road, which began to show cracks.


Translator: Aditia Aulia Rohman, Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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