Road To Timor Putus Island Total As A Result Of Landslides, Paths Via The Sea Open To Break Passengers

NTT - The Provincial Government (Pemrov) of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has opened an alternative route by sea for passenger services and logistics using the Passenger Motor Ship (KMP) of Sabu Island to the Timor Island area.

Head of the NTT Transportation Agency, Isyak Nuka, said that alternative routes by sea were opened after landslides occurred in Takari, Kupang Regency, NTT. The disaster caused a national road to Timor Island to be badly damaged.

"The NTT Transportation Service has coordinated with related parties such as the Land Transportation Management Center Region XIII to open alternative routes to serve passengers and logistics distribution," he said in Kupang, NTT, Sunday, February 19, as reported by Antara.

He said the opening of lanes to ensure the logistics distribution process, such as fuel oil (BBM) and basic necessities to areas in South Central Timor Regency, North Central Timor, Belu Regency, and Malacca Regency remained smooth.

He added, according to the results of coordination carried out by the NTT Provincial Transportation Service with related parties, such as the Land Transportation Management Center Region XIII, National Roads Hall and the Kupang Regency Transportation Service to jointly regulate traffic and emergency handling efforts so that traffic can function.

"Another alternative is to immediately alert sea transportation using ferries, namely the Sabu Island Ferry Motor Ship (KMP) to serve passengers heading for Kefa and Atambua and Malacca. KMP Pulau Sabu has been serving the Kupang-Wini-Teluk Gurita route," said Isyak Nuka.

Isyak Nuka said alternative options by sea with the consideration that passenger and logistics flows should not be hampered, because it will result in an increase in the price of goods.

According to him, the process of cleaning up landslide materials in Takari, Kupang Regency is still being carried out and it is estimated that the new land route will return to normal within the next one or two weeks.

He said users of services majoring in Kefa and Atambua, Malacca and Timor Leste could choose an alternative sea route, because currently the KMP operator of Sabu Island has provided ferry ships to serve the community and logistics going to Kefa or Atambua and Malacca.

The landslide that occurred in Takari, Takari District, Kupang Regency on Friday, February 17, caused access to transportation on the Trans Timor road to four districts on Timor Island and to Timor Leste countries to break completely due to landslides closing the national road section on Timor Island.