Minister Of Public Works Wants To Add Heavy Equipment To Open Closed Roads Due To Sumatra Floods

JAKARTA - A number of areas in Aceh and Sumatra are still isolated due to floods and landslides last week. The land route in the area is still covered by landslides and is filled with mud due to flash floods.

Minister of Public Works (PU) Dody Hanggodo said his party would increase the number of heavy equipment to open the route and assist the evacuation process.

He said that currently the heavy equipment used was still sourced from the local province. Dody said the Ministry of Public Works would add heavy equipment from provinces that were not affected by the disaster.

"If we don't take it from provinces that are not affected. For example, West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Aceh were affected, Riau was not affected, we took it from Riau. The closest ones, for example Bengkulu, Lampung, we borrowed all of them," he said at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, December 2.

Dody revealed that currently heavy equipment cannot reach 100 percent of the affected areas. Because, there are still some areas flooded.

"The route is not yet 100 percent open, because for example Aceh's water was still 80 centimeters (update) last morning. So, not 100 percent of heavy equipment can enter," he said.

Menurut Dody, saat ini pihaknya berfokus pada pembukaan jalur-jalur yang masih terisolir agar bisa segera mendistribusikan bantuan.

"Saya pikir fokus utamanya membuka semua daerah yang hari ini konektivitas daratnya belum terbuka, itu dulu. Itu diutamakan karena ada beberapa tempat yang hari ini (pengiriman bantuan) masih didrop dari udara, itu difokuskan," imbuhnya.

According to Dody, currently his party is focusing on opening isolated routes so that they can immediately distribute aid.

"I think the main focus is opening all areas whose land connectivity is not yet open today, that was first. That was prioritized because there are several places that are still being dropped from the air today," he added.