Aceh Provincial Government Deploys Heavy Equipment to Clean Schools in Aceh Tamiang

BANDA ACEH - The Aceh government has deployed five units of heavy equipment to clean up mud and wood debris that have accumulated at a number of post-disaster school facilities after flash floods and landslides in Aceh Tamiang Regency.

"The Aceh government has deployed five units of heavy equipment to accelerate the process of evacuating thick mud material and logs that have entered the school area," said Aceh Regional Secretary (Sekda), M Nasir, in Banda Aceh, Monday, January 5.

M Nasir said this step was taken so that the remaining flood materials would not hinder the learning process for too long. Moreover, the cleaning of heavy materials requires special handling so that the building remains usable.

He explained that the team in the field implemented a gradual cleaning strategy with a focus on ensuring the inside of the building was clean before continuing to the outside of the school.

"Our first target is to clean the classrooms, teacher's room, business management, and other rooms. The steps taken are to encourage mud to come out of the room to the yard. After that, we will clean the outside as the finishing stage," he said.

In addition to the support of heavy equipment, this recovery action was also strengthened by the presence of 4,000 volunteers from the Acehnese government's State Civil Apparatus (ASN) who were deployed since last week.

They, working manually using hoes, shovels, and water pushers to reach the corners of the room that heavy equipment could not access.

M Nasir added, Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf or Mualem appreciated the collaboration between heavy equipment technology and human resources in the field who have worked together to go to the disaster site.

"This hard work is a tangible form of the government's presence in ensuring that our children can return to school comfortably," said M Nasir.