Aceh Floods Called 400 People Killed, Emergency Response Command Post: That's A Hoax, 70 People Victim

BANDA ACEH - Spokesperson for the Aceh Hydrometeorological Emergency Response Command Post, Murthalamuddin, confirmed that information that stated that the number of victims who died due to flooding in Aceh reached 400 people was fake news or hoaxes.

He confirmed that the number of confirmed victims who died to date is 70 people.

"I make sure the data is not true, aka hoax news," said Murthalamuddin in Banda Aceh, Antara, Sunday, November 30.

He conveyed the clarification in response to information circulating widely on social media regarding the number of victims who were said to have reached hundreds of people. Murthalamuddin asked the public not to easily believe in news that did not come from official sources.

"The official news regarding flood victims is only from the government and other official institutions," he said.

Hydrometeorological disasters that include floods and landslides have hit Aceh since November 18 and have an impact on 16 of the 23 districts/cities.

Based on temporary data from the Emergency Response Command Post, there were 87,550 families (KK) affected and 52,162 families displaced at 184 points. The death toll was recorded at 70 people and this number can still change considering that communication with a number of areas is still cut off.

Murthalamuddin said that his party continues to coordinate with the TNI/Polri, hospitals, and gampong devices to ensure data on residents who have not been confirmed.

Deputy Speaker of the Aceh House of Representatives, Saifuddin alias Yah Fud, also asked all parties, especially social media users, to stop spreading unverified information related to flood disasters in Aceh.

According to him, the spread of false information only adds to the panic of residents in the midst of a difficult situation.

"The current situation is quite difficult for the community. Don't add any more information that cannot be accounted for. We ask firmly that social media accounts stop spreading false news related to floods in Aceh," said Saifuddin.

He said there were still many areas that experienced disruptions to communication networks, cut off road access, and uncertain weather, so that the information circulating was often incomplete or even wrong if it did not come from an official source.

Therefore, he appealed to the public to only disseminate information from authorized agencies such as local governments, BPBD, TNI, Polri, and other related institutions.

If there is important information, make sure the source is clear first. Don't just spread it, let alone what is not certain is the truth. The impact can be very broad," said Yah Fud.