Previously Clear and Crowded, Now Only Sand, the Ministry of Tourism Prioritizes the Recovery of the Lokop River in East Aceh

ACEH TIMUR - The Ministry of Tourism stated that the Lokop River tourist destination in Serbajadi District, East Aceh Regency, was one of the priorities for post-flood recovery that hit the area.

"Entering the crucial stage of recovery and reconstruction after flash floods, the Lokop River tourist destination will be a priority," said the Ministry of Tourism when contacted in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, January 28.

The Ministry said that Lokop River was one of the destinations that was most severely affected. The tourist area, which previously had a hanging bridge and was a favorite of tourists, has now turned into a stretch of sand due to changes in the landscape.

"Currently, the Lokop River cannot be used as a tourist attraction," said the ministry.

For this reason, the Ministry of Tourism encourages the strengthening of cross-sectoral synergy in the recovery of tourist destinations in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra that were affected by disasters.

Recovery efforts are carried out through the provision of disaster mitigation facilities, the preparation of evacuation routes, tourism human resource training, and improved coordination with local governments and related institutions.

In addition, the ministry also implements tourism crisis management to maintain the image of tourism, including the provision of accurate information, installation of safety facilities, destination recovery programs, and re-promotion after the disaster.

Previously, the Head of the East Aceh Regency Disparpora, Syahril, said that almost 80 percent of the tourist attractions in his area had suffered damage, ranging from minor to severe.

One of the most significant impacts is seen in the Lokop River, where the riverbed is no longer in its original path due to the onslaught of flash floods.

"The river, which was previously a tourist destination, has now turned into a sand field," said Syahril.

The flash flood also caused heavy damage to a number of beach tourist attractions, including in the Matang Rayeuk area, East Idi District, where almost all tourist huts were reported damaged.