They (the ministry) already have a prototype (for the establishment of a residential area).
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Temporary housing will be prepared by the local government in South Minahasa District, North Sulawesi Province, for residents affected by coastal abrasion, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has informed.

"Furthermore, the local government is also expected to immediately provide new (permanent) residential area for people who have been affected as well (as those who) are currently threatened by the coastal abrasion," Head of BNPB Lieutenant General Suharyanto said in a statement issued here on Friday.

The new housing will be established in collaboration with the Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry, as earlier, the ministry was involved in the effort to relocate people affected by the Mount Semeru eruption in Lumajang District, East Java Province, in December 2021.

"I will ask the PUPR Ministry to help, thus it can be done quickly. They (the ministry) already have a prototype (for the establishment of a residential area),” the BNPB head said.

The temporary housing will be located in the plantation area of Bitung village. Currently, the people affected by the disaster are still taking shelter in refugee camps.

According to data provided by the operations control center (Pusdalops) of the BNPB, as of 1:20 a.m. Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB, UTC+7) on Friday (June 24, 2022), the number of refugees had reached 127 families, consisting of a total of 387 people.

Related news: BRIN lists possible reasons for Amurang Beach abrasion

At least 53 families or 134 people have taken shelter at BPBU Lewet Village, 46 families or 158 people at Uwuran Dua PGA Sentrum Hall, while 28 families or 95 people have gone to their relatives’ homes.

In addition, the local government is planning to relocate the traditional market as the public facility is close to the abrasion area.

Earlier, acting head of the South Minahasa Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Thorie R. Joseph, had informed that a bridge, a boulevard road, a beach wall, and residents' houses along Amurang Beach, South Minahasa district, had collapsed around 2 p.m. Central Indonesian Standard Time (WIB, UTC+8) on June 15, 2022, due to abrasion.

Related news: Fifteen homes collapse due to coastal abrasion in Amurang: official

Translator: Devi Ramadhan, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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