Latest Data: 1,219 Houses Lost in North Aceh Floods

BANDA ACEH - The North Aceh Regency Government released provisional data that the houses of residents who were swept away by floods and landslides in the area reached 1,219 units.

"One hamlet in North Aceh Regency, namely Lhok Pungki Gampong Gunci Hamlet, Sawang District, was swept away by flash floods that hit the area," said North Aceh Government Spokesperson Muntasir Ramli as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 17.

He explained that thousands of residents in the district lost their homes due to the major disaster that hit North Aceh Regency.

Severe damage also occurred in Gampong Lhok Puuk, Seuneddon District, and Gampong Geudumbak.

He detailed that 117,291 houses were submerged, 1,219 houses were reported missing, 16,793 units were severely damaged, 6,134 were moderately damaged, and 15,126 houses were slightly damaged.

Based on data as of Tuesday, (16/12) as many as 166 people were reported dead due to floods and landslides, 90 percent of North Aceh Regency, consisting of 27 sub-districts and 852 villages were flooded and mud.

"The main focus of the government at this time is handling refugees, distributing logistics to the evacuation point, searching for dead and missing victims, and restoring health services and land transportation routes from flood and mud materials so that the logistics distribution access is smoother so that no refugees survive the flood, then die from hunger and health gets worse," said Muntasir.

As for the current challenges in the field, electricity and communication channels have not yet recovered, which has an impact on logistics distribution, clean water supply, and data collection and distribution of LPG gas.

Muntasir continued, the availability of medicines for health services and heavy equipment to open land access is still limited, especially rural roads which were isolated at that time.

"The Regent of North Aceh has reported directly on a number of problems and obstacles and asked for assistance from the Aceh and Central Governments," he said.

North Aceh Flood Post Information data recorded that the flood had an impact on 124,544 families or 428,271 people and 18,858 families or 71,637 people were displaced.