Minister Of PUPR Instructs Relocation Of Settlements On River Banks After Flash Floods In Batu City

Minister of PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono/IST

BATU - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), Basuki Hadimuljono, directly observed the post-flood handling process in Bulukerto Village, Batu City, East Java.

The Minister of PUPR instructed the Regional Government to relocate houses along the riverbanks affected by the disaster. This is because the La Nina phenomenon will still occur until February 2022, so the potential for aftershocks is still there.

Basuki said that starting today his party will widen the river flow that was affected yesterday. The length of the river that was widened is about 4 kilometers from the disaster site to its estuary to the Brantas River.

“Therefore, people's houses on the banks of the river must be relocated. The wider it is, the better because I'm afraid it will become a new river", said PUPR Minister Basuki, Thursday, November 11.

According to Basuki, the flood disaster that occurred was almost the same prototype as the floods that occurred in several areas. Where the river flow begins to narrow so that it is unable to withstand the flow of water during the rainy season.

"When the rainfall is high, the natural dams above the upstream are not strong enough to withstand the overflow of water so that it becomes a flash flood that flows into the river channel", he explained.

The next treatment is to repair the affected utilities, namely repairing drinking water pipes in collaboration with the Regional Drinking Water Company (PDAM). Meanwhile, the bridge must be repaired immediately by Binamarga so that it is more feasible and the culverts are wider.

Separately, the Mayor of Batu, Dewanti Rumpoko, will immediately coordinate with the sub-district and local village heads to prepare regulations and all relocation needs.

Dewanti also hopes that the residents are willing to move for the safety of their lives as well. The total of the temporary data of houses that were swept away was about 8 units.

"The data will continue to be updated. We will immediately coordinate the relocation including preparing all the regulations", she said.