Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini pressed for the local government’s awareness of residential areas on mountainous slopes that can trigger landslides.
Rismaharini pointed to the major impact of global warming that caused the rainfall intensity to increase each year and triggered landslides in nearly all regions of Indonesia.
“Conditions in Sibolga are exactly the same as in Jayapura. I am optimistic that other governments and not just the Jayapura city government will be aware of residential areas on the hillside,” the minister noted during a press conference at the Waringin Sports Center in Jayapura City, Papua, on Thursday.
The minister later remarked that the extreme weather forecast will last from January to March 2022.
“We must not become careless and stay vigilant, especially during heavy rains,” she affirmed.
To avoid victims during floods and landslides, Rismaharini suggested residents affected by the disaster to be placed at a safe location. To this end, her ministry will facilitate tents for evacuation.
Similar to the incident in West Java, the ministry selected a location in Sukabumi for disaster mitigation when residents had to evacuate when floods struck.
“A temporary residence will help to reduce victims since the rainfall is getting heavier,” she noted.
Earlier, Rismaharini observed the area affected by the landslide at the Bhayangkara Police Dormitory in Jayapura.
The building on the hillside was destroyed by debris from the landslide, leaving two houses undamaged.
Floods that struck four out of the five sub-districts in Jayapura City affected 8,268 residents.
Head of the Jayapura City Natural Disaster Emergency Response Team Rustan Saru remarked that most residents chose not to evacuate and stayed in their homes, fearful of their belongings at home being looted.
However, residents, whose houses could not be occupied due to heavy damage, had been evacuated since January 9.
The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture noted that eight people died during the floods and landslides that struck Jayapura, Papua, on January 6.
Source: Antara News