BPBD asks disabled residents to be aware of landslides due to Ogan River overflow

JAKARTA - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) asked residents of Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (OKU), South Sumatra (Sumsel) to be alert to the overflow of the Ogan river which has the potential to cause the impact of flooding and landslides.

Head of BPBD OKU Januar Efendi said that the heavy rainfall that has occurred in recent days is feared to have an impact on flooding and landslides, so it must be watched together.

Like the flood that occurred on Wednesday, April 15, submerging thousands of residents' houses in 15 villages in OKU Regency, it must be a lesson to be aware of natural disasters so that there are no casualties.

"Based on data, as many as 1,277 houses were flooded with water levels of 30 centimeters to 1 meter. Thank God, there were no casualties," he said in Baturaja, Monday, quoted by Antara.

For this reason, he said, the public was reminded to increase vigilance in the face of potential subsequent flooding that could occur at any time, especially people living on the banks of rivers.

He said that currently his party is increasing the capacity of natural disaster management personnel in each sub-district to face the potential for subsequent flooding so that it can be overcome as early as possible.

Officers in the field are intensifying monitoring of the Ogan river discharge through the Automatic Water Level Recorder (AWLR) so that if there is an increase, it will immediately be forwarded to the community to be watched together.

In addition, all relevant stakeholders are also asked to implement appropriate disaster mitigation measures, both structural and non-structural mitigation.

"For natural disaster mitigation equipment such as rubber boats, everything has been prepared at the post to evacuate victims if necessary," he said.