In a statement received in Jambi, Commander of the emergency task force Lieutenant Colonel Andy Irawan remarked that floodwaters had been inundating 14 sub-districts encompassing 91 villages. Meanwhile, nine sub-districts, housing 26 villages, had been struck by landslides.
As cited from the website of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), several regions in Kerinci District have been flooded since December 30 last year, affecting over 13 thousand people.
Irawan remarked that since early January of 2024, Kerinci District and Sungai Penuh City have been witnessing high-intensity rainfall that prevented the floodwaters from subsiding, thereby causing damage to public facilities and roads, which can leave the regions isolated.
He noted that in Kerinci, landslides had affected roads at 36 points and inflicted damage to four bridges, five health facilities, 49 educational facilities, 642.85 hectares of rice fields, 14.45 hectares of horticultural land, as well as several livestock farms.
Irawan further stated that the emergency task force had conducted repair on 25 road points of the 36 points damaged by landslides in Kerinci District.
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Meanwhile, two of the four broken bridges in Kerinci had been repaired by the local public works and public housing office and a private company.
The local government has also taken measures for dealing with floods, including by conducting river dredging at six locations.
Earlier, on Friday (January 12), an official from the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of Jambi stated that the agency had elevated the status of four regions in Jambi to flood emergency response.
The four regions are Kerinci District, Bungo District, Tebo District, and Sungai Penuh City.
"BPBD has decided to elevate the status of the regions following the widening of the flood-affected areas," Jambi BPBD's Deputy for Emergency and Logistics, Andre Eko Rinjani, remarked in Jambi.
He also noted that the central government had provided Jambi with assistance to overcome the natural disasters.
Related news: Improve mitigation against floods, landslides: ministry
Translator: Nanang M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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