Access Still Cut Off, 6,206 West Sumatra Agam Residents Choose To Stay In Refugees

Road access was cut off due to landslides in Aceh (doc BNPB)

LUBUK BUSUNG - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Agam Regency, West Sumatra (West Sumatra) noted that 6,206 residents of the area are still displaced, spread across five sub-districts.

"This is data on Sunday at 20.00 WIB," said Head of BPBD Agam Rahmat Lasmono in Lubuk Basung, quoted by Antara, Monday, December 8.

He said the 6,206 people were spread across Palembayan District (1,719 people), Palupuh (30 people), Tanjung Raya (3,595 people), Ampek Koto (245 people), and Matur (253 people).

They took refuge in the evacuations that had been provided in schools, mosques, prayer rooms, relatives' houses, and others. "They have been displaced since the flash flood and landslide disaster on Wednesday (26/11)," he said.

He added that previously there were around 15,300 people who fled and they returned home after the flood had receded.

While in the refugee camps, he continued, the Agam Regency Government (Pemkab) and the nagari government established public kitchens for their food needs during the evacuation.

"At least 26 public kitchens were established and our logistics needs were distributed," said Rahmat Lasmono.

He said residents in isolated areas were 6,525 people spread across Palembayan, Palupuh, Matur, and Tanjung Raya sub-districts. The area is isolated due to access to the location being buried by landslides and the Agam Regency Government continues to strive to open access to the area.

"We deployed 33 heavy equipment to clean up landslide materials and search for victims who were still buried by materials," he said.

Landslides, flash floods, and floods hit Agam, killing 181 people, 76 people missing, 14 people being treated, Rp626.07 billion in material losses and others.