Beware Of Heavy Flows, Jayawijaya Residents Are Advised Not To Do Activities In The Baliem River

Members of the Wamena Basarnas Post when evacuating victims drowned in the Baliem River due to being carried away by the current. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Activities in the Baliem River flowing in the Wamena area, Papua Mountains, need to be carried out with high vigilance. Two residents reportedly died because they were dragged by the swift current of the river, triggering warnings from the authorities.

The Commander of the Wamena Basarnas Post, Supartono, appealed to the public not to carry out any activities in the river, especially when the current conditions were strong due to the upstream rain.

"We recommend that activities around the Baliem River be reduced first. If you have to go down to the river, try to be with other people who are able to swim and can provide help if an incident occurs," Supartono said when confirmed from Wamena, Sunday, as quoted by ANTARA.

He emphasized that emergency events can occur at any time, especially when weather conditions are not friendly. Therefore, the public is advised to be more vigilant and not underestimate potential hazards.

A real example is yesterday's incident, two people died because they were swept away by the current. They can't swim, and unfortunately no one had time to help," he said.

Currently, the current in the Baliem River is known to be quite heavy due to rain in mountainous areas that are upstream of the river. This makes the area at high risk for activities such as swimming or playing water.

As an agency responsible for safety in water areas, Basarnas reminded that activities in the river should be temporarily suspended to avoid additional casualties.

"We hope that this tragic incident will not happen again. Let's take care of the safety of ourselves and the people around us," said Supartono closing his appeal.