North Sumatra Disaster, BNPB Records 360 Dead and 21 Thousand Displaced
JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) recorded significant impacts of floods and landslides in North Sumatra Province, with 360 deaths and more than 21 thousand people displaced.
Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, December 17, said that the number of victims included the addition of five more deaths in Central Tapanuli Regency as reported by the latest report from the joint SAR team.
In addition to the casualties, the disaster caused as many as 21,579 residents to be displaced, with the largest concentration of displaced people in Central Tapanuli Regency with 10,887 people and South Tapanuli Regency with 5,197 people.
Abdul explained that search and rescue (SAR) operations were still being carried out in four priority sectors, namely Sibabangun and Aloban Bair Sub-districts in Central Tapanuli Regency, Garoga Village in Batang Toru Sub-District, South Tapanuli Regency, and the Pancuran Gerobak area in Sibolga City.
The joint SAR team accelerated the search while still paying attention to the safety of personnel and weather conditions that could still change in the field.
In the settlement sector, BNPB recorded a total of 28,708 houses damaged by disasters in North Sumatra Province, with 5,158 of them experiencing severe damage.
Of this number, 1,068 houses were reported missing or washed away by the flood, with Langkat Regency being the area with the most damaged houses reaching 11,273 units.
To handle residents who lost their homes, BNPB together with the local government began preparing the construction of temporary housing (huntara), including 102 units in North Tapanuli Regency and plans to build 488 huntara units in South Tapanuli Regency.
BNPB ensures that cross-ministerial, agency, and regional government coordination continues to be carried out in an integrated manner so that emergency handling, social recovery, and post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction can run effectively and sustainably.