Alluvial Soil and Heavy Rain Triggered Landslides in Blora

JAKARTA - The phenomenon of land subsidence in Banjarejo and Tunjungan Districts, Blora Regency, Central Java is caused by the condition of the soil that is saturated with water due to high-intensity rain, said the Acting Head of the South Kendeng Regional ESDM Office Blora Hadi Susanto.

"The alluvial land around the river basin is easy to saturate with water so that when it rains heavily, water fills the cracks in the ground, adds to the load, and finally triggers landslides or soil movement," he said in Blora, Sunday.

He revealed that no active fault was found geologically in the affected area.

According to him, similar incidents are found in many sub-districts around the river. Soil movement is also more likely to be seen during the rainy season compared to the dry season.

Regarding other alleged causes, such as groundwater drilling, he assessed that the impact was small and insignificant. Even if there is an influence, it is usually caused by excessive exploitation.

"Until now, the level of groundwater utilization in Blora Regency is still minimal," he said.

He said that the mapping of the potential for land movement in detail is not yet available.

However, his party opened the opportunity if the Blora Regency Government conducted further studies.

In the future, the handling will be coordinated across sectors with the PUPR Office, the Water Resources Management Coordination Team (TKPSDA), and the Pemali Juana River Basin Agency (BBWS), considering that the watershed area is under the authority of the relevant agencies.

The public is urged to immediately report if there is a landslide that has the potential to be dangerous so that it can be followed up in an integrated manner.

Member of the Rapid Response Team (TRC) of the Blora Regency BPBD Agung Triyono said that land movement had an impact on a number of residents' houses. In Banjarejo District there are three houses affected, while in Tunjungan District two houses were damaged.

"The affected areas include Buluroto Village and Tutup Village," he said.

He explained that in Tunjungan District, land movement occurred in Dukuh Ngetrep, Tutup Village on Friday (2/1). This event caused a 15 to 30 centimeter deep land subsidence with a crack length of about 100 meters.

"Two houses of residents were damaged and three other houses were threatened. Two houses were damaged, each belonging to Djaiz and Suyatno, with a total estimated loss of Rp16 million," he said.

In Banjarejo District, land movement occurred in Sambiroto Village, Buluroto Village on Monday (22/12). The land subsidence reached about 50 centimeters with a length of about 200 meters. Until now, land movement is still ongoing with a rate of subsidence of about two centimeters per day.

"At the location, three houses were damaged, each belonging to Sriyono, Janarto, and Sayid, with a total loss estimated at Rp30 million," he said.

The BPBD of Blora Regency appealed to the public living in disaster-prone areas to increase vigilance, especially during long-term heavy rains, given the potential for subsequent landslides and landslides is still quite high.