The Impact Of Flash Floods, Tourist Visits In Batu Malang City Dropped By 50 Percent

Selecta Recreation Park in Batu City, East Java. (BETWEEN DOC)

MALANG - The flash flood that hit the Batu City area, East Java last Thursday had a major impact on the tourism sector.

Director of the Selecta Recreation Park Batu City, Sujud Hariadi, said tourist arrivals fell by 50 percent due to flash floods.

"We express our sympathy to our affected relatives. For tourism, there has been a sharp decline, approximately 50 percent compared to the previous week," said Sujud in Batu City as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, November 9.

On Saturday, November 6, for example, the number of tourist visits, especially at the Selecta Recreation Park, fell to 850 people. Whereas the previous week the visit reached 2,000 people.

Then on Sunday, November 7, the number of tourist visits was recorded at 1,500 people, which also decreased compared to the previous week where tourist visits reached more than 2,000 people.

He added that the impact of the banjir bandang disaster is not expected to last too long, especially on the Batu City tourism sector. It is hoped that in the third and fourth weeks of November 2021, the number of tourist visits will be able to return to what it was before the disaster.

"We think the impact will not last too long. Residents will return to travel again," he said.

According to him, prior to the flash flood disaster in Batu City, the tourism sector had begun to stretch after the area implemented the implementation of level 2 community activity restrictions (PPKM).

He hopes that the handling of the impact of the banjir bandang disaster can be done quickly, and there will be no follow-up disasters in the future. It also has a fixed procedure in case of bad weather conditions at tourist attractions.

"Hopefully there will be no more disasters, this is a lesson for all of us, hopefully it won't happen again. For tourist attractions, we have standard procedures such as evacuation routes and others," he said.

The standard procedure, he continued, includes, among other things, if extreme weather occurs when there are many tourists at the Selecta Recreational Park, his party will prohibit tourists from taking shelter under trees, and be directed to safe places.

"When there is heavy rain, we are advised to prohibit tourists from taking shelter in trees. So we direct them to the nearest building, or to an open place. There are procedures," he added.

Based on data from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Batu City, at least 43 houses in a number of areas in Batu City, East Java, were damaged by the banjir bandang disaster.

In addition, 32 other houses were submerged in mud due to the flash flood disaster. Flash floods also affected as many as 124 families. However, the affected residents are currently taking refuge in the homes of their family or closest neighbors.

In addition to house damage, he continued, flash floods also caused at least 46 two-wheeled vehicles and 11 four-wheeled vehicles to be damaged. Then, 128 animals died, and ten cages were reported damaged.